Tonya Schmitt, with help from Lisa Barbian, spoke to Rotary about how Grow to Share would use Rotary’s grant to benefit the community through their work in growing food, producing and distributing food, and educating the community about food. She started by emphasizing the benefits on a personal and professional level from association with GTS. Click Read More for details if you didn't read them in a previous Tidings.
NOTE: The slides and the proposed equipment purchase list are appended and can be accessed by clicking the link near the bottom of the Tidings main page.
Tonya then explained that the lack of food preparation and preservation equipment has limited GTS’s capabilities, which funds from the grant could address. Having more facilities will expand GTS’s reach and accessibility. The community garden yields a wide variety of produce that is donated to numerous community groups such as the River Falls Food Pantry. The shared garden is a separate section where more than 70 families and community members have plots. In 2023 GTS donated almost 2000 lbs of food to the Food Pantry and to Servant of the Shepherd church. Others have also received donated food resulting from more than 600 hours of volunteer work.
The presentation had four parts: introduction and history of Grow to Share, its mission & vision, statistics, and their proposal. GTS started in 2009 with a mission to grow food, to have young people involved in growing and learning about food, and to build a healthier community. Tonya showed a slide of the GTS property, which includes a shared garden, community garden, master gardener area, berry patch, and several other areas. Over 15 years, GTS has developed collaborations with numerous groups. Tonya emphasized the current and alumni FFA groups and showed a slide of a UWRF student group at their site.
Three aspects of the plan to use grant funds are education, rental equipment, and promotion. Rentals will use Google forms and in-person contact, and the template Tonya showed would include recognition of Rotary’s role in providing rental equipment for GTS.
GTS has two locked shed at the community garden to secure equipment. More valuable items will be stored at board member homes to enhance safety and security. They plan to use suggested amounts for the rental fees rather than fixed fees to avoid having items be out of reach for some would-be users.
About the Speakers: Lisa Barbian grew up in southeast Wisconsin on a hobby farm. She attended UWRF and graduated with a Horticulture degree, and she's worked in the horticulture industry for over 10 years but has recently returned to UWRF. She met her husband in River Falls; they moved across the river for a few years but purchased their first home in River Falls in the spring of 2021. In 2022 they rented a garden plot from Grow to Share and in 2023 Lisa joined the board. She says that Grow to Share has been a blessing to her and her husband, and that they've met lots of people who also enjoy to learn new things and get their hands dirty!
Tonya Schmitt has lived in River Falls for 10 years with her family -- husband Joe, daughter Julia, and son Gus. Nature connection is a big part of wellness for her family (gardening, beekeeping, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, etc.). Tonya holds a bachelor's degree in Biology and a master's degree in Life Science, and she works as a health & wellness coach and yoga therapist. Nature connection is a vital part of her therapeutic work with individuals and groups. Grow to Share is a powerful source of wellness environmentally, socially, emotionally, mentally, occupationally, and spiritually. Tonya has proudly served on the board for nearly 4 years. Whenever possible, she brings clients to the garden and leads public programs there.