VERNON TOWNSHIP — Cheryl Johnson is the matriarch of a rather large family, and nothing pleases the Meadville resident more than spending time with her 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Being involved in the Creating Landscapes Community Garden afterschool program affords her that opportunity.

“For me personally, it’s all about my grandchildren,” Johnson said, while attending the organization’s annual Harvest Celebration on Saturday at the Ackerman Farm. “Everything I do is for my grandchildren.”

The Community Garden is an extension of Creating Landscapes, an educational program designed to help individuals make “informed choices, experience good health and integrate thinking and feeling in the service of aesthetic aliveness,” according to its mission statement.

Saturday’s event was a key to keeping the program alive and well for next year and beyond — bringing more awareness and helping to raise funds. “This will be a major fundraiser so we can get it going again next year,” said Joyce Klasen, after helping to set up the event grounds on Friday evening. Klasen started Landscapes for Families in 2009 at Second District Elementary School and has seen its power in action. “It’s such a collaboration of so many people. That’s when I step back and know what the world could work like; we rely on each other. This is simply a marvelous way to live.”

Johnson and her family are among more than 30 currently participating in the Community Garden portion of the program, which started in 2010. The families meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon and perform a variety of chores and activities at the farm from planting, harvesting and weeding to singing and fellowship.

Johnson said the garden also provides a place to just get away from everyday life.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said Saturday afternoon. “It’s so soothing. It’s a good place to come if you just want to get away from a rough day. It’s like a big family here.”

Not only do the families work to grow flowers, vegetables and herbs at the garden, they also get to harvest the fresh vegetables, which they take home and also distribute to families in need.

“The Community Garden was a collaboration of wanting to expand the afterschool program (Creating Landscapes) and help low-income families to eat healthier,” said Tammy Collins, the garden facilitator.

Johnson said it has definitely helped to promote healthier eating. She said her grandchildren eat all of the vegetables and have encouraged her to do so as well.

“I didn’t eat my veggies. But look here,” Johnson said, showing a cup of homemade soup made from the vegetables harvested at the garden that she was eating at the Harvest Celebration.

A farm family helps

A big reason Creating Landscapes has been able to offer the Community Garden program is because of the Ackerman family, which donated the use of 30 acres of land on their farm.

“I think in these times we lose a sense of the value of earth and community,” said Bob Ackerman, who, along with his wife, Michele, owns the land. “I think this generation is a bit disconnected from both. (Creating Landscapes) came to us and we just thought it sounded like a good idea.”

Ackerman said the organization is currently using just about two acres of the land. But on it, the group has a variety of vegetable gardens, a herb garden, a butterfly garden, an orchard and blueberry bushes.

The gardens will be closed on Oct. 13 for the winter — one reason for last weekend’s annual Harvest Celebration, which allowed the participants to share the fruits of their hard work.

According to the Creative Landscapes Learning Center Inc.’s annual report, expenses for the Community Garden program totaled $8,688.11. Through donations, foundation grants, fees, business contributions and fundraising, the program was able to bring in about $9,073.71. That is why events like the Harvest Festival are important.

“We’ve always done the Harvest Festival,” Collins said. “We thought, let’s see how it works as a fundraiser. The funds go back to the program so we can replenish our garden next season.”

Collins said the afterschool program is open to anyone.

Mary Lynne Peters, who directs the Landscapes for Families choir which performed at the celebration, said the program is open to all families, not just mothers and fathers and their children.

You can help

For more information about the Community Garden and other Creating Landscapes Learning Center Inc. programs, visit creatinglandscapes.org.