A new volunteer-driven project in Shelburne, N.S. is set to provide thousands of kilograms of fresh produce to local residents, helping combat food insecurity in the region. The Community Garden and Foodshare Association of Shelburne County recently received $142,158 in funding from the Department of Environment and Climate Change’s sustainable communities challenge fund to build a solar-powered and geothermal greenhouse that will operate year-round.
Michael Kozak, president of the association, emphasized the project’s significance in ensuring access to healthy, nutritious food, particularly for those in need. The greenhouse, which will produce approximately 2,000 kilograms of fresh produce annually, will also support the local food bank, which has struggled to keep up with rising demand in recent years.
The greenhouse will be constructed on land donated by the municipality of Shelburne, near the local high school, and is expected to be completed by summer. Volunteers have already spent months preparing the site, and construction is expected to begin soon.
Kozak stressed the importance of sustainable food systems and local food production, especially in rural areas. “Everyone should have access to healthy, nutritious food,” he said, noting that local produce is a better alternative to food imported from long distances.
The initiative also serves as an example of community resilience, with volunteers working together to ensure access to fresh, local produce. Kozak plans to expand the project, with the goal of building additional greenhouses and collaborating with local farmers to include proteins and dairy in the food-sharing program.
The greenhouse will be named in honor of John Davis, a beloved local volunteer who founded the group but passed away suddenly in 2024.
Source: Swifteradio.com
