First farmers market scheduled for Sunday

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

Volunteers with the Coal Center Community Garden are ready to share their first harvest.

From 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, residents can stop by to purchase homegrown produce at the organization’s first farmers market. It will be held at the garden, located at 129 Water St. in Coal Center.

Grow Mon Valley launched last year through a partnership with the Greater Washington County Food Bank to develop a multi-purpose program that focuses on gardening in the community, educational programs and designing gardens to grow the food bank.

The first garden popped up in Monongahela two years ago, and the newest project in Coal Center was finished earlier this year. 

The concept originated from Grow Pittsburgh, a group that teaches and promotes planting and gardening in the Pittsburgh region.

Organizer Nazareth Victoria said local growers and farmers are welcome to stop by to purchase fresh vegetables or sell their own fresh produce free of charge.

“We finished the Coal Center Garden just in time for planting season and it has been a success,” Victoria said. 

As it continues to grow, the project would not have been possible without contributions from community stakeholders. 

The gardens were made possible through donations from the Mon Valley Alliance, National Road Heritage Corridor, Greene Team Pellet Fuel Co. and Eighty Four Lumber. 

Money raised during the farmer’s market Sunday will benefit future Grow Mon Valley projects, including additional garden facilities and education throughout the region. 

In the future, Grow Mon Valley hopes to install schoolyard gardens, launch a community seed bank and eventually secure a storefront in its hometown to begin a tool-lending program for those participating in gardening activities.

While this year’s planting season is wrapping up, area residents can get involved with Grow Mon Valley by emailing monvalleygrow@gmail.com or finding the group on Facebook.