YMCA's Community Garden Feeds the Needy

From the looks of the newly planted community garden at the Tri-County YMCA, it's going to be a bumper crop harvest of vegetables this season. 

The YMCA, along with help from local boy scouts, constructed a 6-bed garden to harvest fresh vegetables for the Menomonee Falls Area Food Pantry. Falls American Family Insurance agent Dan Johnson, who is a member of the Food Pantry board, helped organize the effort with Donna Nash, the Tri-County YMCA executive. 

Now, they are bringing the food pantry a bushel of veggies each week. The garden includes tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, bush pickles and more. 

"The recipients of the food pantry appreciate fresh just like anybody does," Johnson said. 

The staff and children and the YMCA also have attracted a new friend since planting the garden. A massive woodchuck named "Sigmund" and two smaller woodchucks have taken up a summer home in a shallow culvert near the garden. 

"The kids know him, he's our Tri-County mascot this year," Nash said.  

Perhaps Falls may have a new Groundhog's Day tradition with Sigmund? Time will only tell. 

But YMCA staff are hoping to expand the garden next year by two to four raised garden beds. Nash hopes the garden will become a community gathering place. Residents, non-members and members alike, could take over a plot and maintain their vegetables. 

"People could designate the bed as their own, and grow the garden that way as a community," Nash said. 

If you are interested in learning more about the community garden project at the YMCA, contact Nash at (262) 502-4801, or by email.

An remember, the YMCA is hosting a dog swim from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26 at its pool. For $15 per pooch, you can let your dog swim in the Olympic-sized pool at the YMCA. Of course, they'll be completing the annual cleaning after the swim.