Mt. Vernon, IAFor the second consecutive year, Hallmark Care Center, Mt. Vernon, has produced a "fresh" vegetable garden. With enhancing relationships and our Person Directed Care Concept in mind, this year we enlisted the help of several of our residents, whom were avid gardeners, and had them put together a shopping list of seeds to purchase, fertilizer to purchase, and the scheme in planting/organizing the garden to make the most of the space available, as well as, not letting any space go. As a weekly event, and sometimes a couple of times per week or more, The Garden Club, gets together and planted, hoed, fertilized, watered, and of course, now are harvesting and preparing our produce...which consisted of fresh lettuce, beets, tomatoes, green beans, cabbage, brussel sprouts, peppers, cucumbers, kohlrabi, and dill. The recipes/dishes prepared would then be served at meal times for the entire facility to enjoy.
Hallmark Care Center is also involved in the first ever Tallest Corn Stalk contest hosted by Edward Jones and "Our Iowa" magazine. This isn't just any corn but a tropical seed imported from Mexico and Brazil to produce not much of an ear but a tall plant...which, of course, is the idea of the contest. This has been especially entertaining for our residents, staff, and family members to share ideas/theories on how to get the corn the tallest, which we have utilized many; however, only corn grown in Iowa can be entered in the contest. They recommended waiting until after May 1st to plant the seeds; however, due to the wet and cool spring conditions, Hallmark planted our seeds June 5th...with currently our stalks measuring in at 11 1/2 feet tall!! The contest goes until October 1st; therefore, we have another month or so to continue our tactics and hope for the best. Prior to October 1st, we will contact our local participating Edward Jones office in Iowa and they come to the facility to be the "official measurers". The winner will receive $500.00 worth of prizes produced with Iowa corn.
The garden has turned out to be a wonderful experience and a win win for all involved, as several of our residents have shared their recipes and staff are able to hold onto these memories for several years to come.
Ben Nebergall, who resides in Denver Colorado, with his grandfather residing at Hallmark, has seen the numerous photos of our garden through our monthly newsletter and quotes: "I saw a picture of a women cleaning vegetables, (probably much like she did in her younger days). I think those types of activities, (reality - pulled from the past), are so valuable to older folks at Hallmark and thanks for not forgetting about that and bringing those real tasks to the forefront of their lives once again. I am so happy my Grandfather lives at Hallmark."
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