Submitted by Lauren Kruz
Mountain Provisions Cooperative
The first harvest of mountain-grown vegetables in the Lauri Carleton Memorial Garden took place on Saturday, June 14.
The garden – located on Grass Valley Road in Lake Arrowhead – was established just one year ago by the Mountain Provisions Cooperative (MPC) with six raised beds. It yielded five varieties of lettuce – iceberg, romaine, red leaf, oak leaf and green leaf – along with a hearty crop of kale and an aromatic herb bundle featuring mint, rosemary and oregano.
Five varieties of lettuce were harvested from the garden.
Ten members and volunteers gathered that morning to harvest the produce, which was then included in MPC’s monthly community-supported agriculture (CSA) produce boxes, available for pickup later that same day.
“We are the sole source of food grown directly in Lake Arrowhead soil to be sold to our community,” said Gavin Bialecki, vice chair of MPC. “It doesn’t get more local that your own backyard – and we’re just getting started.”
This milestone, Bialecki added, “marks a major step toward building a more self-sustaining local food system on the mountain.”
The garden is a thriving micro-farm now growing an impressive variety of crops, including sugar snap peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, Swiss chard, rhubarb, summer squash, onions, chives, peppers, garlic, basil, white sage, gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and peaches.
Each monthly CSA box features 10 to 12 items from three organic partner farms from lower elevations plus two to three seasonal items from the mountain garden. Members also receive a fresh loaf of organic sourdough bread from Oak Lead Bakery and a rotating specialty item crafted by local artisans. Past boxes have included jams, handmade soaps, herbal scrubs, sweet treats and locally roasted coffee.
CSA boxes are available for $40 for co-op members and $50 for nonmembers. They can be ordered online at www.mountainprovisions.coop, where information is also available on upcoming workshops.
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