It took a little more work that usual to get the Community Gardens at Homestead Apartments up and running this year.  The good reason was needing to expand due to growing demand, and the not so good reason was a late winter fire which destroyed the garden supply shed and everything inside, we are happy to report that we again have a functioning gardening space.

LEC would like to thank Garden Mentor Lynn Rozen for spearheading the post-fire recovery efforts.  Lynn would like to thank the following people who contributed to the project with their time, talents, and treasure:

Monetary contributions
Bethany Lutheran Church $2500 (towards new shed and soil testing)
Becky Bates and Jonathon Hardwick $500 (towards new fencing, wheelbarrow, and essential hand tilling tool)
Mankato Zero Waste: handcrafted wooden bench donation
Terri Anderson at Valley Veggies: donation of flowers and jalapeno peppers worth $375
Theresa Ziemans: plant start donation worth $250 (tomatoes, eggplants, broccoli, collard greens, kale, cauliflower, peppers, strawberries) 
Erica Honken, President of Lloyd Management $200 in Menards rebates (towards basic garden tool assortment)
Seed Savers Exchange: seed donation worth $200
Jim Ackil: plant donation tomatoes worth $35 
Carr's Tree Service: wood chip delivery

Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership and Lloyd Management Involvement
James Arentson(coordination of soil testing, garden design, expansion tilling, finances)
Aaron Jennings (pick up truck driver and truck loan)
Autumn Livers (communications)
Mike Palm (shed assembly, water line rebuilds, tool shopping)

Community Volunteer Involvement
Jim Ackil (wheelbarrow assembly)
Betty Harsma 4 hours (fence assembly, community garden planting, strawberry bed design)
Taunya Hayes 16 hours (dumpster diving, pickup truck driver, fence assembly, plot measuring, opening day volunteer, pathway crew, community garden planting) and $30 donation of wood chip mulch
Lukas and Aiden of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity 6 hours (wood chip and compost haul)
Thomas Meixl (designed and built our bench)
Dan Swart, chair MSU Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Geology (organic chemistry guru)
Betty Winkworth from Mankato Zero Waste (coordination of bench building effort. Betty secured funding, gathered lumber, baby sat, delivered bench)
Theresa Ziemans 2 hours (strawberry patch planting) 

Homestead Gardener Volunteers
Amy and daughter Charlotte 22 hours  (opening day volunteer, strawberry patch planting, flower planting, community garden planting, pathway crew)
Brenda 4 hours (opening day volunteer) 
Cheryl and daughter Mari 2 hours (watermelon patch planting)
Edith 5 hours (community garden planting and pathway weeding) 
Griffin 4 hours (opening day volunteer)
Hope 6 hours (opening day volunteer and mint combatant)
Kwabena  8 hours (opening day volunteer, flower patch prep, pathway crew)
Okongo 4 hours (opening day volunteer)
Rockett  10 hours (opening day volunteer, flower patch prep, community garden planting day, path way crew)
Sarawouth 12 hours (opening day volunteer, path way crew) 
Sue 6 hours (opening day volunteer, flower planting)
Wena 3 hours (flower planting)