Target Hunger
community garden
Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent, Sonja Davis, conducted a Health & Wellness Series with Target Hunger clients from April to July. Target Hunger families met on Wednesday nights and attended sessions designed to help them eat healthier, exercise and have positive lifestyle changes. Participants attended sessions on MyPlate, reading Nutrition Facts Labels, Diabetes, reducing sodium in the diet, food safety, controlling high blood pressure and "A.C.T. FAST" stroke prevention.
After each Health and Wellness presentation, families received an estimated 50 pounds of non-perishable foods. Target Hunger provided a Spanish translator and an Americore Volunteer taught nutrition lessons to the youth. Participants received certificates of completion and celebrated during their recognition program. The families benefited from the information and are looking forward to a Fall Session.
Agent Christian Malsatzki spent one day a week working with Target Hunger Community Garden Coordinator, Sha Lewis and community, organization, and corporate business volunteers, tending the peanuts, as well as providing instruction on various horticultural and agricultural topics and methods that were demonstrated in the Community Garden. The peanuts were planted in April and harvest took place in July.
The raised beds produced 9 lbs. of Virginia Peanuts which were donated to the Target Hunger Food Bank. Beyond the crop production, the peanut trial provided performance information on peanuts in raised beds which can be used for future planting plans.
In addition to learning gardening skills, Target Hunger clients are also being taught how to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Agriculture & Natural Resource (ANR) Agent, Christian Malsatzki, worked with Target Hunger of Houston to plant peanuts in raised beds at their community garden, located in the 5th Ward section of the city. The challenge was to find out how a traditional in-ground row crop would work in raised bed gardens, not only at the community garden, but for anyone interested in planting raised bed peanuts for food or cottage industry goods purposes.
Raised Bed Peanut Result Demonstration & Health & Wellness Series