Q: What is the mission of the Harvest Center?
A: The Harvest Center is a community organization dedicated to educating people of all ages in nutrition, health, and organic agricultural arts. It will promote local commerce in high-altitude food production, using sustainable practices for operation, maintenance, and production at its facilities. The Harvest Center will serve as a model for other communities learning to live in greater harmony with nature.
Q. What motivated you to create the Harvest Center?
A. People in our community and around the country need help in making the transition to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. We offer a constructive response to troubling times. Through education and example, our efforts will increase local food production and use of renewable energy.
Q. What are the primary activities?
A. The three integrated elements of our program are food, renewable energy and education.
Q. I want to volunteer. What can I do to help?
A. There are many things to do. Here’s a partial list:
1. Grow a garden or planter box
2. Join the forum discussions
3. Offer a class
4. Upload photos
5. Write a story for wpharvestcenter.org
6. Join a committee
7. Contact us: email@wpharvestcenter.org
Q. What activities and projects do you anticipate?
A. The Harvest Center goals include:
1. Establish Educational Projects
2. Renewable Energy Production
Q. What have you accomplished?
A. Volunteers who built raised beds and greenhouses on the Gordon Jackson Foundation property have grown a very successful inaugural crop. Removal of noxious weeds from the growing area was a project during Summer, 2008. A group of volunteers prepared for and engaged in the Colorado Rural Philanthropy Days conference. There have been two potluck group meetings. Three articles have been published in the local newspaper. A website was launched and is now quite active. Brochures, business cards, telephone number, post office box and EIN have been created or obtained. Learning materials including printed and video versions have been created. A class on Saving Seeds was conducted and a DVD was created. A booth was staffed and two presentations were made at the Holistic and Metaphysical Fair in Woodland Park during Fall, 2008. In 2009 we created a community garden and offered classes and lectures related to local production of food and energy. We built a geodesic dome greenhouse for “off-the-grid” food production year-round. We sponsored an Earth Day event and Plant Sale in Woodland Park. In 2010 we created the Environmental Film series in collaboration with the Woodland Park Library; continued to offer workshops and lectures; hosted the Earth Day and Plant Sale events; and, built another community garden.
Q. What is the history of the Harvest Center?
A. A group of people began meeting informally in the Fall of 2006 to share ideas for building a better quality of life for our community. It soon became apparent that these ideas related to gardening, education, renewable energy, and health could be applied in a sustainable fashion that provided short-term and long-term benefits.The founding group quickly learned that their message resonated with people in the community, local foundations, and city government. They began formal meetings in September, 2007. After several months of brain-storming and research, the number of volunteers increased and the meetings began to focus on steps required to implement the mission statement.
Q. Is the Harvest Center a nonprofit organization?
A. Yes. We are a Colorado nonprofit corporation with IRS certification as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Q. Do you have community partners?
A. Yes, those include Gordon Jackson Foundation, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Woodland Park Farmers Market, and Teller County Public Health.
Q. Where is the Harvest Center located?
A. Pikes Peak Community Foundation and Gordon Jackson Foundation have generously offered us access to property on the grounds of Aspen Valley Ranch which is located on the western edge of Woodland Park. Our presence will extend into the community and people’s yards.
Q. How does one contact you?
A. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 782, Woodland Park, CO 80866; Telephone: 719-387-1748; Email: email@wpharvestcenter.org; and, web address: www.wpharvestcenter.org
Q. When and where are your meetings?
A. Our usual meeting place is at the Aspen Valley Ranch. There are 3-4 general meetings per year when we gather for a potluck meal, fellowship, and report of Harvest Center activities. We also convene meetings of the steering committee on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. These meetings begin at 11:30 am with a brown bag lunch. At noon the meeting begins and runs until 1:30 pm. Visitors are invited to participate in the discussion during the brown bag lunch and after the meeting adjourns. Additionally, committee meetings and online discussion take place in between the meetings mentioned above.
