Senior Citizen Center Community Garden and Lunch and Learn Series
Agricultural Economics & Community Development
Matthew March
County Extension Agent- Agriculture
Texas AgriLife Extension
Livingston
Abstract
The county senior citizen community garden was started in 2021 as a project for an extension intern. I oversee the managment of the community garden and help organize volunteers when needed. The community garden is small but its impact amongst the senior community is huge. Many of the elderly population lack access to fresh produce. This is due to pricing and availability; thus, fresh produce is lacking from many seniors’ diets. Produce grown from the garden is taken to the senior citizen center to allow them to have access to healthy fresh produce. Additionally, the county health agent, Deborah Alvarenga and I host a monthly lunch and learn series at the senior center where we demonstrate a recipe with produce from the garden and talk about nutritional benefits and how the produce is grown both in the home garden and commercially. In 2023, the community garden provided 380 lbs. of produce or 1,216 servings of vegetables to the senior center. Also, 96% of seniors increased their knowledge of the produce industry in Texas and added more fresh produce to their diet as a result of the lunch and learn series.
Authors: Matthew March
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Matthew March County Extension Agent- Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension , Texas, 77351