Gardening

OCS employs a full-time gardener from February to November to grow sustainable food. There’s no more direct “farm to table” route than harvesting fresh produce from the Cooper Center row gardens, raised beds, and greenhouse and moving it into our choice pantry for distribution! Among the crops we grow are lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans, corn, garlic, collard greens, Swiss chard, spinach, bell peppers, hot peppers, beets, turnips, zucchini, herbs, and so much more!

In addition, our annual Great Seed Giveaway gets seed packets to families all over Lorain County so they can grow sustainable food at home. This event is FREE and held in late winter so folks can stock up before the growing season begins.

Gardening includes planting pollinators, native plants, removing invasive species, and a host of practices that aim to strengthen the ecosystem surrounding the Cooper Center.