The term farm-to-table often creates images of sprawling countryside fields, red barns, and long dirt to gravel roads. In reality, a suburban backyard or balcony can become the foundation for a thriving way of life that brings fresh homegrown food straight to your table. At its core, farm to table is about connecting with where our food comes from.
If you are a home gardener like myself, slowing down through the process of starting seeds to harvesting nourishing foods for your table is quite rewarding. Whether harvesting tomatoes from raised beds, clipping fresh herbs from a windowsill, or collecting eggs from a backyard coop, each step delivers on satisfaction that grocery store convenience cannot provide.
Beyond gardening, suburban farm-to-table includes mindful sourcing. Local farmers markets, community supported agriculture, and neighborhood produce stands offer seasonal favorites that are typically fresher than store-bought. Supporting local growers strengthens our community and keeps us connected to the rhythms of the seasons.
Speaking of community supported agriculture, I recently visited the FISH Community Teaching Garden on a sunny Saturday morning where I found at least a dozen volunteers busily weeding and planting the numerous raised beds. The garden is located on the grounds of Broomfield’s Salvation Army Corps at 1080 Birch St. With an eager smile, I was greeted by Butter Wilde, who quickly drew me into the 50 garden beds that are home to 100 tomato plants and hundreds of garlic plants which will be ready for harvest very soon. She emphasized the volunteer aspect of this effort:
“Everyone here is working their hearts out so that people can eat.”
I also had the pleasure of speaking to Dayna Scott, a Broom-field FISH pillar, who was hanging a couple of new banners on the split-rail fence that surrounds the garden. Both of these wonderful women share the same passion that so many others also carry, which is assisting our neighbors in need. FISH stands for Fellow-ship In Serving Humanity. If you are not familiar with their work, I encourage you to check them out. The marketplace allows visitors to shop for their food free of charge.
Fresh produce leaves the shelves very quickly, so the community garden was born in 2024 with a small plot at their headquarters. Last year, with the support of The Salvation Army, the garden was expanded and continues to grow.
While FISH continues to connect our neighbors in need to their market and other vital resources, Adopt-A-Garden joins the popular Adopt-A-Shelf program. Adopting a shelf helps to keep the most needed items stocked at the market. Adopting a garden is a way to support FISH with little to no expense. The commitment is just 6-8 hours per month and some potentially dirty fingernails. The opportunity to learn more about gardening and to meet some people who share common interests is icing on the cake! There are still beds available for adoption and volunteers are always welcomed.
Volunteers gather on Saturdays from 8:30 – 11:00 am. I’ll be there to tend Our Broomfield’s newly adopted garden bed and help out where needed.
I’d love to see you!
Visit www.broomfieldfish. org, click “learn more” under the “ways to give”, “volunteer”, then the “garden volunteer interest” form for more information. All ages are welcomed, but anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Andrea Wallace writes about creative food solutions and home-based sustainability. You can reach her at ajbattwall71@gmail.com.
