BEMIDJI — At home during the pandemic and having little experience with gardening,19-year-old Bridget Westrum decided she’d dig into a new hobby.
Her interest quickly became an obsession and soon after, Westrum was on a mission to get other kids digging in the dirt. So the Bemidji woman started Growing our Future to provide gardening kits.
Originally thinking she would prepare around 30 gardening kits for kids in the Bemidji area, she found interest and community support increased that number to around 200 kits in its inaugural year.
Three years in, the project continues to blossom and branch out. Today, Growing our Future offers gardening kits in the spring, herb kits in the fall, house plants, and many gardening resources. She also sets up share tables, where community members offer their seeds, harvest and even gardening supplies for free.
Westrum said she hopes area kids and families grow green thumbs and an appreciation for fresh food.
Growing our Future works with kids who have yards to grow or a balcony on an apartment building. It’s all about creating access to gardening. Westrum noted the focus is to help kids grow food, no matter their living situation. In previous years, she's provided larger pots or raised gardening beds for those with limited gardening space.
"We ask about barriers that people have to gardening, and then we work really hard to overcome those barriers," Westrum said. " … We really try to work with whatever the person needs."
Once a child is equipped with a grow kit, they are not alone on their journey.
“With our kits, we actually hand out a lot of resources, like the Master Gardener Hotline, and people are welcome to message me. And there's also a few other area gardeners that have been gardening forever that are on our contact list as well,” Westrum said.
Now is the time to start seedlings. Sign ups are open for the 2023 gardening kits and distribution around the Bemidji area will happen soon.
Growing our Future will be at the Home, Sport and Travel show in Bemidji this weekend, Friday through Sunday, March 31-April 2.
Find out more via their website, Facebook or Instagram.
Listen to the full Area Voices interview with Bridget Westrum above.
Area Voices is made possible by the MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of MN.
