About

 

Who are we? 
Growing Community Naturally is a group of Jefferson County, MT people brought together by a shared interest in creating a healthier food system in our community. Our group is comprised of gardeners, concerned citizens, parents, teachers, and anyone interesting in living sustainably.

What is our Mission?
Growing Community Naturally is committed to creating a self-sustaining, engaged, educated community through community events, experiential education, and collaborative initiatives.

How can others get involved?
If you are interested in joining or supporting Growing Community Naturally, feel free to e-mail us at grow.community.naturally@gmail.com. We will also be posting upcoming event information on our blog, so make sure to add your e-mail to follow our blog posts! Growing Community Naturally is always looking for volunteers to help with brainstorming creative local initiatives, organizing community events, and getting their hands dirty on garden work days.

Introducing Growing Community Naturally

Growing Community Naturally is committed to creating a self-sustaining, engaged, educated community through community events, experiential education, and collaborative initiatives. 

Our Vision:

• Community members understand and value high quality, nutritious and locally grown food and support the development of the local food system.

•   People of all economic means can access high quality, nutritious, locally grown food.

• Outdoor experiential learning programs are an integral part of the education system producing well educated, healthy, socially equipped and environmentally conscious citizens.

•  People and communities of Jefferson County (and beyond) have reached a state of wholeness and well being that is self-sustaining.

Our Core Work:

To advance our mission and achieve our goals and objectives, we:

•   Educate, advocate and share lessons learned on sustainable development locally, regionally and nationally to advance local and regional food systems development; land, water and forest conservation; green building; reduce, reuse and recycle practices; and more.

•   Provide training and technical assistance to growers, farmers’ market managers and others working in the local and regional food systems.

•  Work to ensure all people, including low-income families, have access to fresh, local food, as well as nutrition and cooking education that support lifelong healthy eating.

•   Educate children and youth to become environmental stewards and to grow and eat healthy food.

•   Foster local grower access to wholesale and direct markets and processing, aggregation and distribution services.

Our Core Values:

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is an ideal state where people’s present needs are met without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their needs. Growing Community Naturally believes in starting where people and communities are and working as partners to preserve our natural resources, and move towards a more just, vibrant food system.

LOCAL

We believe that the development of a local food-based sustainable economy is crucial to building resilience and prosperity for the future of the region.

EDUCATION

Knowledge is power. We believe in the creation of an informed society that is empowered with the skills and understanding to make healthier personal choices, and for some, to support change in the wider society.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION & INCLUSION

We believe that all people should have the opportunity to participate in the decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities.