Birdhouse Farmers Market

Birdhouse Farmers Market, in the Randolph neighborhood of the City of Richmond, is Green Grants announcement #28 for $1,000 to accomplish their Community Beautification plans!

Birdhouse Farmers Market, established in 2007, is the hub of healthy, food-related community activities designed to strengthen the local food system and improve the health and well being of the community.  They also support the community with an educational garden space called Birdhouse Community Garden, which is adjacent to the market area. At Birdhouse Community Garden, everyone is welcome to visit and learn about local foods, gardening, native plants, healthy eating, and wholesome cooking.

“Sprouts and Blooms” is a program designed to give the residents of Randolph more direct access to gardening activities, while learning how to grow food, beautify the neighborhood, and care for the environment.  Funds provided by Green Grants will be used to purchase a 6×10′ greenhouse kit, pots and trays, seeds, and other supplies.  Area residents and volunteers will construct the greenhouse from a kit and set up tables and other necessary equipment inside.  The greenhouse will then be incorporated into monthly community workdays during the summer.

Once completed, students participating in the summer day camp (June-Aug) and after school program (Sept-May) at Randolph Community Center (RCC) and seniors at RCC will be invited to plant and tend flower and vegetable starts for planting both at Birdhouse and for distribution through the Randolph Neighborhood Association (RNA). Birdhouse will provide both instruction and the materials and supplies required.

Sprouts and Blooms will be an ongoing project, allowing the RCC youth gardening programs to continue gardening throughout the winter to learn how to successfully grow plants in a greenhouse and keep the greenhouse clean.  It will also give any Randolph resident a place to engage with their community by learning how to grow plants for themselves and for distribution to their neighbors.

The addition of the greenhouse will allow the Birdhouse Community Garden to offer year-round community education, engagement, and garden activities that usually ended at the end of November without access to a greenhouse onsite.

We are confident that the greenhouse will be a Beautiful addition to Birdhouse Farmers Market and the Randolph neighborhood!