Urban Greens 2024 Garden Olympics

ZANESVILLE, OH – The Urban Greens Program is inviting the community to get involved with the area gardens.

The Urban Greens Program consists of six gardens that are across Muskingum County that the Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District maintains.

Betsy Rosser, an Urban Agriculture and Education Specialist for the Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District, said one of their gardens, Marshall Greens, is over an acre and a half in size.

“This program has just grown exponentially in the past year,” Rosser said. “Last year, we were able to donate just over 7,000lbs of produce to local food pantries, hot food services, Veterans and The Center for Seniors. Some of that also went to the Zanesville City School Summer lunch program.”

Rosser says it’s not an easy task when trying to manage six gardens that range in sizes. That’s why they are hosting the 2024 Garden Olympics in an effort to have more volunteers to help tend and harvest the crops.

“It’s a season-long community wide competition. We’re hoping community groups and agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations,” Rosser said. “Anyone who wants to be a part of it will put together a team of at least 4 people to volunteer in our gardens, as much or as little as they want throughout the season. Then, every time they participate they’ll earn points, if you will, and we’ll have awards at the end of the season.”

If you are interested in participating in the Urban Greens 2024 Garden Olympics you can sign up by scanning the QR code or online at the Soil and Water Conservation District’s website.