VPPSA volunteers create room to grow as the Barton Community Giving Garden kicks off first harvest of the year

July 14, 2021

Waterbury Center, VT- Today, volunteers from Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA) gave back to the Barton Village community by pulling weeds from the Barton Community Giving Garden. The VPPSA volunteer team removed stacks of invasive knotweed, an aggressive, stalky plant that is encroaching on the garden’s growing space.

The garden, established in 2020 as a “giving garden,” provides a space for local gardeners to learn from one another while growing produce for community members in need. Last year, the Barton Community Garden provided more than 2,000 pounds of food to local families and seniors.

While the VPPSA team worked to clear garden space, volunteers from the Barton Community Giving Garden picked a hefty yield of kale and radishes during their first seasonal harvest. The produce from the giving garden, along with donations from local gardeners, will be distributed to local senior centers and food pantries.

“We are grateful to have had VPPSA assist in our effort to remove the invasive knotweed from the giving garden,” said Barton Community Giving Garden volunteer Cindy Delano. “There’s more hard work to be done, but today’s effort takes us one step closer to expanding the garden and providing even more for our community.”

“It was incredibly rewarding to help restore the Barton Community Giving Garden landscape,” said VPPSA Communications Specialist Julia Leopold. “One of the many ways VPPSA serves our public power communities is through environmental stewardship. The Barton Community Giving Garden is a shining example of using sustainable practices to help the local community thrive, and we are grateful for the opportunity to assist them in benefiting Barton Village.”

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About Vermont Public Power Supply Authority
VPPSA provides municipal electric utility members with a broad spectrum of services and solutions, including regulatory assistance, financial planning, and power supply. VPPSA members include Barton Village, Village of Enosburg Falls, Hardwick Electric Department, Village of Jacksonville Electric Company, Village of Johnson Electric Department, Ludlow Electric Light Department, Lyndonville Electric Department, Morrisville Water & Light Department, Town of Northfield Electric Department, Village of Orleans, and Swanton Village Electric Department.