One Vegetable One Community
Driving down main street in Middle River you may have noticed containers in front of two business places. This is part of One Vegetable One Community. This year’s featured vegetable is a yellow cherry tomato. This program is a part of the MN Extension Program.
One Vegetable One Community (OVOC) strives to unite communities by encouraging gardeners to plant, grow, cook, and/or share a single vegetable. The goal is to see the vegetable of the year growing in home gardens, community, and school gardens, containers on front porches or balconies, and in front of businesses, faithbased organizations, and government buildings. OVOC starts a conversation in the community about food, nutrition, and how a community can support healthier choices.
One Vegetable, One Community started when SNAP-Ed awarded Community Partnership Grants to the NW Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships in 2016. It has benefitted communities by providing resources to help individuals grow food for their families.
Community Partners include Statewide Health Improvement Partnerships (SHIP), Master Gardener’s, Local Chamber of Commerce, Local City Government, Schools and Community Gardens.
Much the way some places choose a book for a community read, One Vegetable, One Community brings people together over the planting, care and harvesting of a vegetable.
Each year a different vegetable is featured. They can include, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beets, kale and lettuce just to name a few. Seeds or plants are given out free to anyone in the community that would like try their hand at growing these vegetables. Tips are shared on how to grow and how to cook up these vegetables.
So watch the cherry tomatoes grow throughout the summer down main street. You are welcome to stop and taste a vine ripened tomato when they are ready.
