Backyard garden 'blitz' to return, but volunteers and space still needed

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It had been an annual occasion for more than a decade. Volunteers would help the Victory Garden Initiative build as many as 500 garden boxes each spring at homes and parks across Milwaukee.

However, that streak died on the vine last year. A number of hurdles had been forming, and the Victory Garden's executive director, Sandra Jones, said it got to be too much.

"Really hit by COVID, really hit by money drying up, financial support disappearing," Jones explained.

The challenges kept coming. In 2021, then again in 2022, thieves targeted the nonprofit's farmhouse at the corner of N. Richards St. and E. Concordia Ave. in the Harambee neighborhood. The property is across the street from the group's 1.5-acre take-what-you-need farm. 

"We did experience several break-ins," Sinceree Dixon, the group's volunteer coordinator, said. "Which caused us to lose hundreds, if not thousands of dollars' worth of power tools."

A Milwaukee Police spokesperson confirmed Tuesday the department investigated a reported theft on November 30, 2022. 

In the end, the yearly run of building garden boxes each spring, known as the 'Victory Garden Blitz,' died on the vine last year. Dixon and Jones said they hoped to breathe new life into the blitz.

The effort began last week with a call for the community to donate tools. People answered.

"We got multiple circular saws, we got lots of shovels and rakes, power drills," Dixon said. "Pretty much everything we need in terms of tools to make the blitz happen this year."

However, it'll take more than tools to ensure the blitz has a successful return this year. Victory Garden also needs land to serve as its new headquarters for the two-week building operation. It had been using Habitat for Humanity property, but Jones said it wasn't available this year due to construction.

The hope is to have a big enough concrete surface to store all the dirt and park three pick-up trucks, along with their trailers.

"We're gonna have 500 cubic yards of dirt," Jones said. "And we need to put it somewhere."

In addition to property it can borrow, Victory Garden also needs between 100-150 volunteers to help build the garden boxes. That includes a need for some fairly handy people, such as those who can work a skid steer and a circular saw, but there's also room for just about anyone.

"You know, people who don't mind putting their hands in the dirt," Jones said. "Doing a little shoveling, that kind of thing."

This year's blitz will run from April 20 through May 4. Volunteers can sign up for as many four-hour shifts as they'd like. Anyone interested in volunteering for the blitz can sign up here.

Dixon said registrations to apply for a garden bed will go live during the last week of February.