The Duluth Community Garden Program hit some highs last year with collard greens, the 2023 Vegetable of the Year. Haley Diem and other representatives were able to visit every second-grade classroom in Duluth to share knowledge and teach lessons about collard greens. "I even taught one at the Lowell Spanish Immersion, in Spanish," says Diem. During the class visits, students were able to taste-test collards, the reviews of which were overwhelmingly positive.
With the success of 2023 behind, it's time to look ahead to 2024's Vegetable of the Year - Corn. Though corn might be a more commonplace vegetable than those of previous years, there's a community lesson to be learned. "[Corn] doesn't produce unless it's planted in a group," says Diem. "It needs other corn around it to pollinate it... I like to think of it as a community vegetable."
The Duluth Community Garden Program is planning a 2024 that will include distributing free seeds at community events and getting back into the classroom for lessons and activities. You can learn more about the Duluth Community Garden Program via their Facebook page.
