Katherine Brymer (foreground) and Mitchel Kendall of the Earthkeepers secure soil around the broccolo they planted in the HONEY garden in Enfield.

ENFIELD: You won’t find any bumble bees in the HONEY community garden in Enfield, but you will find a whole lot of produce growing for a good cause and volunteers hoping to get help from the community.

The Help Our Neighbours Eat Yearly (HONEY) garden has been entered into an online competition hosted by a popular refreshment company. There’s a $10,000 grant on the line. The garden’s founders, the Enfield Earthkeepers and Caring and Sharing Angel Tree (CSAT) food bank, are asking the community to vote online so they can keep the garden running for years to come. The garden will provide fresh produce for CSAT food bank, while leftover produce will be sold at farmers markets. Proceeds will be donated to the food bank.

“It’s a win-win situation for both of us,” said Bernice Donaldson, treasurer for CSAT food bank in Enfield. “They were looking for a piece of land for a community garden. I was thinking about a garden for the food bank for years, and it fits right in with what they’re trying to teach the youth who work and volunteer for them.”

Enfield Earthkeepers are a not-for-profit organization that employs youth from 12-17, but requires the employees volunteer one hour of their time for every four hours of work.

“They’re well known in the community as nice youths doing good work,” said Muriel d’Entremont, manager of the Earthkeepers. “We take pride in helping. That’s part of being an Earth Keeper—they sign on for that when they sign up.”

The Earthkeepers receive funding from the Greater Toronto YMCA and Service Canada, but would need access to additional funds in order to continue the garden next year. Money would be put towards tools, tilling, signage, seeds, travel expenses, storage, soil and fertilizer, which youth would work on during their volunteer time.

“It’s a huge eye-opening experience for the youth,” said d’Entremont. “They’re learning how they can help people who are less fortunate in our community.”

Currently, Donaldson has provided a plot of land for the Earthkeepers to grow zucchini, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, corn, beans, and celery. Except for the odd deer invasion, the garden has potential to yield plenty to the Earthkeepers, who have planted and toiled with care.

“I feel like the garden is my baby,” said supervisor, Katherine Brymer. “There aren’t many things you can start, see grow, and finish like this.”

Votes can be cast daily for the HONEY garden and the Earth Keepers are asking for all the help they can get.

“I’m in a position right now where I can help,” said Brymer, “but someday I might not be.”

The HONEY garden is 18th out of 241, and votes can be cast until August 31. For more information on the competition, or to vote online, go to www.refresheverything.ca.

acano@enfieldweeklypress.com