Dig Deep: Project Overview
Begun February 2018
Dig Deep is a community team challenge to grow the best produce (with help along the way from Master Gardeners and Farmers), with proceeds to benefit Ayers Foundation outreach programming for more fun with food and the environment.
Overview
Dig Deep is a community-wide basic gardening initiative to educate and gather for the purpose of helping people to understand our bodies’ connection with food, how it is grown, and the nutritional benefits of locally sourced food and sustainable agriculture.
Goals
- Create a fun learning environment to encourage even the most inexperienced to participate and gain a better understanding of how to produce some of their own food and where to acquire locally grown produce.
- Increase the activity levels of all ages and empower our community to work together towards common goals.
- Increase basic understanding of the nutrients/vitamins/antioxidants we gain from fresh, organic food and how they affect our everyday lives.
- Raise funds to further develop programming and workshops to promote, practice and teach sustainable agriculture, holistic nutrition, and healthy living as well as to increase the environmental literacy of our youth. Ayers Foundation passionately believes that creating a real-world connection to local food and farming is the best way to re-connect each of us to our bodies, good health, and the environment.
Specifications
Dig Deep will be led by the team at Ayers Foundation (Ayers) with the help of Hillandale Farm and other community partners. Hillandale Farm will provide the location for free workshops to instruct on the basic stages of gardening, and will be home to one of the community plots that will serve as a learning garden for any who wish to participate as part of “Team Ayers Foundation.” Individuals or organizations are encouraged to participate by working together to create more shared garden spaces, or join an existing team throughout the community.
“to all have a healthy and active life that keeps us connected, inspired, and growing together”
DIG DEEP AND REAP WHAT YOU SOW
If you’ve been thinking about starting a garden and just didn’t have the time, the knowledge or the yard space, then this is for you! Ayers’ program “Dig Deep” is all about learning new things, going outside your comfort zone, helping others, and exerting yourself to achieve new goals. Gardening is very rewarding and also demanding work if you do it alone, so let’s work together for one purpose - to all have a healthy and active life that keeps us connected, inspired, and growing together.