Grand Prairie rededicates Haven Community Garden after irrigation upgrade

A city staff member and volunteers in Grand Prairie celebrated the rededication of the Haven Community Garden after installation of an automated drip irrigation system funded by a grant from H‑E‑B and Keep Texas Beautiful to Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful.

The project, organizers said at the event, included installation of an automated drip irrigation system designed to increase water conservation and help sustain the garden's orchard of nearly two dozen fruit trees. "This has been a great great partnership," a city staff member said. "The rededication of the Haven Community Garden is the city's way of saying thank you to the people at H E B and Keep Texas Beautiful for a grant awarded to Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful that helped pay for the installation of an automated drip irrigation system that will increase water conservation and sustain the garden's orchard with its nearly 2 dozen fruit trees that are now an essential part of a program that supplies all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and herbs to the food pantry next door that helps feed Grand Prairie families in need throughout the year."

A resident who spoke at the event described the garden's role in local food distribution. "Through the community garden program, we are able to feed so many of our neighbors in Grand Prairie that it just makes me feel amazing that we're able to help our community not only to feed the hungry but also to grow our community as each of our gardens has workdays and we have community gatherings and potlucks so everyone helps to share that love," the resident said.

A volunteer at the garden added, "It's beautiful getting to actually be out here and see the hands that are doing the work every day and working in this garden. Hopefully now we can make their work a little bit easier so that they can make their bigger impact."

Organizers said that Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful's six community gardens donated nearly 10,000 pounds of produce to food pantries last year and that the irrigation upgrade will support year-round production. For more information about the community garden program, organizers provided the City of Grand Prairie web page: gptx.org/kgpb.