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Ruff'ton Roots Community Garden is hosting its Plant Sale on Saturday, April 27 under the shade sails at 128 Hospital Drive, Rutherfordton. The sale begins at 10am and continues until 1pm or until sold out.
Parking is available in the lot off Edwards Street (turn in at the new Ruff'ton Roots sign). This is a celebration of the last frost date for the region and the beginning of the fourth growing season for the garden.
The Ruff'ton Roots Plant Sale is a collaboration of Community Garden volunteers growing chemical free plants as a fundraiser for the Garden's annual operating expenses including seed, soil amendment and irrigation purchases.
The 2024 Plant Sale has been entirely volunteer lead, with volunteers sprouting seeds, growing seedlings, potting up, and taking divisions from their own garden perennials.
"This is a great place to find a mix of our favorite varieties of vegetables and fruits as well as beneficial plants we've been growing to support our pollinators at the garden, plus it supports the work we do by funding our operational budget," said Executive Director Lindy Abrams.
Plants are available in 6 packs, 4 inch pots, and 6 inch pots at suggested donations of $4, $3, and $6, respectively. The Plant Sale will offer volunteer favorite varieties of herbs, vegetables, and beneficial flowers. There will also be seeding activities for kids and information guides on companion planting for home gardens.
Ruff'ton Roots' new merchandise will also be available, including the return of the famous T- shirts, stickers, and new hat designs for 2024.
Cash is preferred, with cards accepted for purchases of $5 or more. It is recommended to arrive early as it is expected to sell out.
About the Garden
Founded in 2021 as a special project of the Town of Rutherfordton, Ruff'ton Roots Community Garden's mission is to grow healthy food, healthy people, and healthy communities in Rutherfordton and beyond, with a vision to ensure and empower a food secure community.
"It is an organization where volunteers work together weekly with an ongoing public service-growing fresh produce for our neighborhood food pantries," said Abrams.
"We like to say 'we grow together to grow together' and that has proven to be true. We were relative strangers when this began in 2021, but this feels like a real community has developed around gardening as public service," Lindy said.
2024 programming includes community art installation projects at the Gardens, the inaugural planting of the Safe Pathways raised beds, expansion of perennial fruit plantings and pollinator zones, and the return of Sunflower Days and Empty Bowls later in the season. All food grown at Ruff'ton Roots is shared with the community by donations to local food pantries and soup kitchens.
Abrams says there is always a need for more volunteers.
"The more people we have, the more room there is for expansion, special projects, installations and service," Lindy said.
There are approximately 10 volunteers that have been with Ruff'ton Roots from the beginning.
"We are an 'at will' volunteer organization, so we have had volunteers step out to deal with personal life changes, and return months later without skipping a beat. We record volunteer hours contributed as a whole group, without keeping score on individuals. We do not have a minimum time commitment to become a volunteer," Lindy continued.
Ruff'ton Roots Gardens
open for visitors
The Ruff'ton Roots Gardens at 128 Hospital Drive and LeRoy Mull Drive are now open for visitors, with Safe Pathways signage installed for a self-guided tour, thanks to generous fundraising effort from Rutherford Women's League.
"We ask that visitors not pick or harvest, unless invited to do so by volunteers," said Lindy. Additional ongoing support for the Ruff'ton Roots is provided by the Town of Rutherfordton, Rutherfordton Public Works, the Rutherfordton Garden Club, Broad River Water Authority and private donations.
To learn more or become a volunteer, visit rufftonroots.org or email rufftonroots@gmail.com
