Edible Avalon Gardens

Tenant with her garden

Edible Avalon is a community gardening program that provides fresh, organic produce to tenants. The gardens are located at thirteen of our properties. Each year we had some programming designed to help tenants improve their health and nutrition, learn about gardening, and enhance their leadership skills. We also have a booth at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market on Wednesday evening's where tenants sell their organic produce to the public.

Tenants and community volunteers coordinate the gardening sites and work with University of Michigan Dietetic Interns to help tenants learn about healthy eating and food preparation. Avalon's Plant A Seed Youth Leadership Program supports teens as mentors to the younger children so that everyone benefits and learns from the Edible Avalon program.

Grace

Volunteers

Gardening with Grace is an annual volunteer gardening program led by master gardener Grace Shackman. The fifteen-year-old program began when Grace spruced up one Avalon property for the volunteer component of her master gardener's certification. Annually, over forty volunteers dedicated more than 150 hours beautifying Avalon's properties with annuals and perennials.

The Gardening with Grace Program helps Avalon in many ways. It is an integral part of Avalon's commitment to be a good neighbor and ensure that our properties blend well into the surrounding neighborhood. The program brings together volunteers and tenants, staff and board members and everyone gets to take pride in Avalon properties.

Planting begins in the spring after the last freeze, usually after Memorial Day. Properties are completed one or two at a time, either on a weekday evening or a weekend morning. Green thumb is not needed - volunteers of all gardening abilities are welcome!

To get involved, please contact Jude Walton at (734) 663-5858.