Cultivating Community Through Gardening
Nestled in the heart of a close-knit neighborhood community, lies a hidden oasis brimming with the fruits of love, dedication, and collaboration. For the past few years, a couple’s humble endeavor has blossomed into a thriving community garden, known as the Beebe Garden. Not only does the garden provide activity but it also nurtures a spirit of togetherness for those who volunteer their time and gardening skills there. The seeds they sowed have germinated into an inspiring movement, drawing neighbors from all walks of life to tend the land and give back to those in need. Welcome to the Beebe Community Garden, where the harvest extends far beyond the plots of land.
Meet Vic and Mary Holec – the husband and wife, green-thumbed pioneers who embarked on this communal journey. What started as a garden in their backyard and somewhat of a dream to do more evolved into a flourishing project that has galvanized many of their neighbors to join in. When the opportunity arose, motivated by their shared passion for gardening, the couple decided to purchase and transform an overgrown lot behind their home into a vibrant haven of growth and generosity.
“I grew up on a farm,” Vic Holec shares. “When I was ten my father got very sick and was hospitalized for the summer and part of the winter, he didn’t have a regular kind of job to supplement the farm income with, and so we didn’t have the money for food. We went out to a food shelf and picked up food where there were just a few choices … So, this has been a chance to give back. Who knows, we might get ahead of how much we took. That was difficult a couple of years.”
Having to experience food insecurity at such a young age was a big motivating factor to start a community garden with a mission to provide healthy food for others who may be in similar situations as his family growing up.
With a vision in mind and shovels in hand, Vic and Mary rallied their neighbors, who eagerly joined the cause. Together, they cleared the land, put up fences, and divided the space into plots to ensure the crops were in the right placements for growth. What began as a modest venture quickly gained momentum, with families, professionals and retirees alike uniting under the sun’s warmth to nurture and cultivate the garden
The Beebe Community Garden is more than just a place to grow fresh produce; it serves as a thriving hub of camaraderie. Residents come from across the neighborhood and bond over their love for nurturing the earth and growing nutritious food.
However, the true beauty of this endeavor lies in its generosity. As the crops mature and the harvest season arrives, Vic and Mary, along with their dedicated team of volunteers, gather the abundant yield and donate it to local nonprofit organizations with food shelves, like Neighborhood House. This collaboration ensures that the garden’s produce finds its way into the hands of those who need it the most.
Neighborhood House, known for its commitment to serving vulnerable populations, including low-income families and immigrants, warmly welcomes the contributions from the Beebe Community Garden. The locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables that are donated enrich the organization’s fresh produce offered to participants, providing nourishment and sustenance to those who might otherwise struggle to access healthy food.
“We’re pretty young at [community gardening],” Vic said. “It’s good to do the tallies. There’s a little bit of pride in being able to get a small patch of ground like that to produce so much.”
As the sun sets on another day at the Beebe Community Garden, Vic and Mary Holec, feel good about what their community has achieved through the garden. In, 2022, the Beebe Gardens donated nearly 4,000 lbs. of produce to Neighborhood House’s free food markets and this year they expect to have even higher yields to donate. The garden has become a testament to the strength of community bonds, the healing power of nature, and the transformative potential of a shared vision. They are proof that even the smallest act of planting a seed can germinate into something extraordinary.
The Beebe Community Garden is a testament to the remarkable things that can be accomplished when a community comes together to sow the seeds of compassion.
Volunteer Opportunity
The Beebe Community Garden is located in Mendota Heights, MN (5-10 min from the Wellstone Center). We are currently looking for 1-2 volunteers who are interested in being back-up drivers to pick-up and drive produce to Neighborhood House located on the West Side of St. Paul (a 30-minute commitment now through November).
If you are interested in volunteering with the Beebe Gardens and Neighborhood House in this way, please contact Shane Springer, Director of Volunteer Engagement here.
