Food Bank greenhouse garden open house set Feb. 11

While the February weather is usually cold and dreary, gardeners know that spring is not far behind. The Food Bank of Delaware seeks community volunteers to help plan, prepare and perhaps start seedlings inside the garden greenhouses at its Milford site.

Agricultural Programs Director Kyle Brolis and Zach Dittmar, the new FBD garden manager in Milford, will host an open house for prospective volunteers from 1 to 2 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the on-site packing barn. This is a no-commitment event.

“It’s really an opportunity to see the site and hear about our goals for future crop production,” Brolis said. Preseason volunteers will assist in spreading compost, amending the soil to improve fertility, and possibly helping get started with early spring crops.

The open house is also an opportunity for gardeners to share their special interests and unique skills that support the Food Bank’s mission to harvest fresh produce that will be distributed to food-insecure neighbors through the on-site Healthy Pantry Center. 

“We’re here, and we’re going to be here year-round. In cool weather, our volunteer shifts are in the afternoon,” Brolis said. “During the cooler months, prospective volunteers can expect to find mostly afternoon events posted on our volunteer calendar, but in the summer, we try to hold volunteer events mostly in the morning to get our tasks done before it gets too hot.”

Learn more at fbd.org/milford-garden.