Jackson Free Press

Community Gardens fresh produce and a sense of neighborhood improvement and togetherness. In recent years, several community gardens have sprung up in the Jackson metro area, teaching residents how to plant and harvest food of substance.

Jubilee Community Garden
1831 Robinson Road
Contact: Wayne Perkins, 601-238-3024

Young people of varying ages maintain the John M. Perkins Foundation's Jubilee Community Garden. Jubilee offers a summer program for kids to work in the garden and then take what they grow and harvest home to their families. The large garden includes vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices. It's open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. every day. Volunteers share in the produce.

Helping Hands Community Garden
219 N. Hargon St., Canton
Contact: Judy Miller, [e-mail missing]

Madison Countians Allied Against Poverty along with the First United Methodist Church of Canton and the Mississippi Food Network started a community garden to help provide fresh vegetables to those living in poverty in Madison County. The produce includes beans, potatoes, okra, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, squash and eggplant. The harvest is distributed through MadCAAP's Food Pantry. Volunteers in need share in the produce.

Medical Mall Garden
Corner of Livingston Road and Melvin Bender Drive
Contact: Tre Roberts, 601-924-3539

Produce is sold to the public. The large garden includes vegetables and some fruits. It's open 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 8:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday. Volunteers share in the produce.

Jackson Inner-city Gardeners
West Northside Drive at Medgar Evers Boulevard
Contact: 601-924-3539.

JIG needs volunteers to maintain plots and harvest vegetables. The produce is donated to feed homeless and elderly people and sold to the community at affordable prices. Volunteers can help from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 8 -11 a.m. Saturdays. JIG sells produce 8:30 a.m.-noon Saturdays.

Midtown Partners Community Garden
301 Adelle St.
Contact: Monica Cannon, 769-257-5757.

In addition to providing a neighborhood fresh-food source, Midtown Partners Community Garden is a hands-on activity for students in its Project Innovation Afterschool program. Midtown Partners received grants from the Mississippi Food Network and Fiskars to expand and beautify the garden area. Items planted during the spring season include sunflowers and a variety of vegetables. Volunteers are called stakeholders.

Rainbow-Tougaloo Garden
Tougaloo College Campus
Contact: Michael Gentry, 601-573-7529

Rainbow Whole Foods Co-Op Grocery and Tougaloo College maintain the garden. Volunteers can receive community service hours for their efforts. The large organic garden includes vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers. It is open 3-5 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday. Volunteers share in the produce.

Wisdom Garden
Spann Elementary School
Contact: Elizabeth Keler, 601-919-6344.

The Wisdom Academy is growing vegetables and fruit at Spann Elementary School with help from students and families. It is a learning lab for math, science and art. Produce includes squash, tomatoes, bell peppers and okra. Produce, when available, is on sale to the public on Saturday afternoons.