Gardens and Greenhouse

Care and Share maintains food gardens, a greenhouse and an orchard at our Colorado Springs warehouse. 

Volunteers are encouraged to join us daily and we host “coffee breaks” the first and third Thursdays at 10:30 and “lunch under the pergola” the second and fourth Thursdays at 12:00.  (Bring your own lunch).

The crop and community garden hosts eight plots, herb gardens, cherry and apricot trees (selected specifically for colder climates) and seedless grapes growing up the pergola.  Community gardeners are able to adopt plots and grow for themselves while also giving a percentage of their harvest to Care and Share food pantries.  The garden was first planted in 2009.

The permaculture garden , is known as the Alice in Wonderland garden, as it reflects the character of Alice who in the story was scared to go to her recital and instead took a nap.  As it turned out when Melissa Marts, now Chief Programs Officer, first had to plant the gardens, she too was afraid of what was ahead and wanted to hide away in the woods.  The only “woods” in the permaculture food forest available turned out to be the understory that consisted of three peach and three apple trees that were planted as the first food forest layers.

Permaculture was developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970’s  in response to the earth’s soil, water and air pollution due to industrial and agricultural systems.  It is the science of applied ecological design and translates to “permanent culture.”  It’s three principles apply nicely to food banking.  Care of the Earth.  Care of the People.  Redistibute Surplus.  http://pikespeakpermaculture.org/

There are six food forests within the Alice in Wonderland Permaculture Garden.  Three gardens have official sponsors.  They are named after the first critter visitors and their initial sponsors.  Alice’s Garden (Alice Robinson with Spencer’s Gardens), Monica’s Mad Hatter Garden (Monica with Phelan Gardens), Harding’s White Rabbit Garden (the first bunny and Harding Nursery).  Three more food forests are still awaiting sponsorship.

The orchard , planted on a steep south facing slope is home to apple and plum trees.  The trees are watered with the help of strategically dug swales that divert the water throughout the orchard.

The greenhouse was completed and planted in the spring of 2011.  Through the sponsorship of the Colorado Garden and Home Show, Care and Share is now able to plant not only spring seedlings but also grow all year round.  The greenhouse is a passive solar design, sunk into the orchard slope, similar to an earthship.  It utilizes a state of the art subterranean soil heating system.