Sax Patch Community Garden

Access to fresh produce can be hard to come by in today’s world of escalating food prices. Too many individuals and families in southern Alamance County suffer from not enough fresh food. Sax Patch is committed to responding to this crisis. During harvest seasons we make twice-weekly donations to a local food bank—Southern Alamance Family Empowerment (SAFE)—where clients can pick up vegetables immediately after they’re harvested. We also hold workshops with local school groups and with Sprout!, a local farm offering preschool and after-school vegetable gardening opportunities, among other activities. Going forward we plan to offer cooking demonstrations and provide recipes as a how-to approach to vegetables grown in the garden. The garden sits on a bluff above the Haw River in Southern Alamance county, an area once inhabited by the Sissipihaw Indians, members of the Saponi Nation. Like many Indigenous communities in the Americas, the arrival of European settlers violently disrupted the Sissipihaw's way of life. As we continue to grow the garden, we are actively exploring opportunities to acknowledge and honor the human history of Saxapahaw, to educate our member base about this history, and to engage respectfully with the local Indigenous community. Sax Patch began as a volunteer effort in early 2021, when community members came together to donate use of land, water, and materials. We broke ground that spring and completed construction just in time for fall planting. During fall season, news of the garden spread throughout the community, volunteers between the ages of 4-80 began tending new crops, harvests were donated to local food banks twice weekly, and partnership with the Sprout! community was forged. Sax Patch gardeners meet quarterly. A leadership team meets monthly. Community in Action At the heart of our garden is a community united by the shared goal of nurturing both the land and each other. Together, we tend the garden, growing fresh, organic produce to help those in need. At the heart of our garden is a community united by the shared goal of nurturing both the land and each other. Together, we tend the garden, growing fresh, organic produce to help those in need. Supporting SAFEWe donate fresh produce twice weekly to Southern Alamance Family Empowerment (SAFE). These donations provide essential nourishment to local families experiencing food insecurity.. We donate fresh produce twice weekly to Southern Alamance Family Empowerment (SAFE). These donations provide essential nourishment to local families experiencing food insecurity.. Cultivating Knowledge Our garden is more than just a place to grow food—it’s a space where we share skills and knowledge about gardening, food, and nutrition. Together, we empower one another to make healthier, informed choices. Our garden is more than just a place to grow food—it’s a space where we share skills and knowledge about gardening, food, and nutrition. Together, we empower one another to make healthier, informed choices. Growing Connections By working side by side, we cultivate not only fresh produce but also meaningful relationships. The garden inspires a cycle of care and education that enriches our community far beyond the harvest. By working side by side, we cultivate not only fresh produce but also meaningful relationships. The garden inspires a cycle of care and education that enriches our community far beyond the harvest. The Power of Teaching By sharing techniques, recipes, and sustainable practices, we create a space where knowledge flows freely, benefiting individuals and the entire community. By sharing techniques, recipes, and sustainable practices, we create a space where knowledge flows freely, benefiting individuals and the entire community. Nourishing Growth Through tending the land, we develop patience, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the food that sustains us. Through tending the land, we develop patience, resilience, and a deeper appreci