…The Garden That Keeps Giving….…is a Community Garden that was established by a Village resident  in the late 1990s for the simple purpose to grow food for people who need it, and gather volunteers who shared his love of the outdoors and love of gardening.  Over the years the garden has supplied as much as 23 tons of vegetables in one season to nearby soup kitchens, food banks and churches.  The 2 acre garden produces tasty crops of onions, cucumbers, squash, peppers, bush beans, tomatoes, okra and eggplant.  Some of the volunteers have had prior farming experience and others have never planted a seed, but want to help those lesss fortunate.  Many of us have had a backyard vegetable garden and know how much work goes into keeping ahead of the weeds and the insects, the rabbits and the groundhogs. When I stood to take pictures I was in awe of the amount of volunteer hours that must go into soil preparation, planting, growing and then harvesting,   all done with others in mind.  It is this type of selfless service that makes the The Villages what it is.  We are thought of as the friendliest hometown, I happen to feel we are the most caring hometown. The garden is located next to the Woodworkers Shop and you can get there by golf cart.  Rio Grande Avenue to Chula Visata Avenue to left on Palermo Place.  Go straight to the curve and take the golf cart path that goes to the ballfields and the driving range.  Go left behind the driving range, pass the woodshop and it is on your left.  If you went  by car you would take Rt.#466East and go left on Rolling Acres Rd. and it is behind the Woodshop on the left.  I’m not sure what their schedule is but it used to be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays early in the morning. If you want to find out more information, I suggest you stop by.  Straw hats off and thanks to all the volunteers who give so much.  Viva Le Gardeners.