By Jennie Miller
C & G Staff Writer

SOUTHFIELD — Perhaps this spring will bring a new crop of volunteers along with a new crop of vegetables for the Southfield Parks and Garden Club, which operates the Emmanuel Community Farm, growing produce to donate to the needy.

“Last year we had over 900 hours (that) volunteers put in at the farm,” said Jon Adams, founder and president of the Southfield Parks and Garden Club, which spearheaded the project in collaboration with Emmanuel Lutheran Church, located at 23425 Lahser Road. “We (produced) a little over 500 pounds of organic vegetables for Forgotten Harvest.”

That number is expected to climb this year, as the club gets ready to kick off its second spring season on Tuesday, March 24, from 4-7 p.m. The public is invited to attend this or any other workday, on Tuesdays from 4-7 p.m., Thursdays from 8-11 a.m., and on Sundays from 1-4 p.m.

“(On the first day), we’ll be digging some chicken wire in the farm so we can put up a new fence line to keep the deer out, so we can plant something without the deer eating it,” Adams said of the first order of business.

The farm will expand this year to approximately 2,400 square feet.

Sharon Hall of Southfield, a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, is looking forward to the start of a new season on the farm.

“My husband and I are originally from a farm area in Iowa, and we were used to our parents gardening and stuff, so when the farm started, it was just natural for us to go over there and help out,” Hall said. “Although we grew up with (it), there’s been a huge amount of learning with Jon in organic gardening. Both Jerry and I find it to be a great learning experience.”

But it’s the community spirit that Hall most enjoys about the farm.

“It brings the community together,” she said. “It’s focused on providing fresh vegetables for people who wouldn’t be able to buy them in a store like many people can. It’s a good use of the property, and the vegetables are grown in a way that is sustainable. Jon uses an irrigation method, and everything is done with regard to a low impact on the environment — the whole philosophy of the farm is what I like. We’ve had a chance to meet so many people in this area who come together with a common interest. I think it’s a really nice thing for the community.”

Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence couldn’t be more pleased with the efforts of the Parks and Garden Club.

“It’s a wonderful organization, (they) do so much for the city,” Lawrence said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference and literally put your fingers in the dirt and make this city a better place. It’s an excellent way to get involved with the community.”

In addition to volunteers, the Parks and Garden Club is looking for monetary donations from the public to help sustain the farm. More than $8,000 was raised in its first year, with assistance from the Southfield Community Foundation. The club has set a goal of $3,400 for this year.

But the Emmanuel Community Farm isn’t the only focus of the club’s members. They help put together Volunteer Day, which is coming up on April 18; they’re a co-sponsor of the city’s Flower Day, this year set for May 9; they put on the Garden Walk, which will take place in mid-July; and they help beautify the city by picking up litter, clearing trails and lending a hand to residents.

“Our major objective still is to complete our CHORE home projects — (we) visit the houses of the elderly, the disabled, who can’t get out and fix up the front of their homes,” Adams explained. “We pull weeds, trim bushes, put in some flowers, so people can feel a little bit of pride in the outside of their homes again, and feel like they’re not letting down their neighbors.”

The club holds monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month in the Parks and Recreation building at 26000 Evergreen Road. Annual dues are $25, or $200 for a lifetime membership. For more information, call Adams at (248) 356-2281 or visit www.parksandgarden.org or www.emmanuelcommunityfarm.org.

You can reach Staff Writer Jennie Miller at jmiller@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1108.