Fresh Food for the Community at SEEDS U-Pick

Here at SEEDS, one special section of our garden is called the U-Pick. The U-Pick area is located just outside the garden gates on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Gilbert Street, making it easily accessible for anyone in the community to stop by and enjoy. One of the best things about the U-Pick is that it is always open folks are welcome to visit anytime, even when SEEDS staff are not on site. The space was created with the goal of making fresh, healthy food freely available to our neighbors while also encouraging people to connect with the garden and the changing seasons.

Throughout the year, SEEDS staff and volunteers work hard to maintain the raised beds so they remain productive, welcoming, and full of fresh produce for the community to harvest. This spring, we have been especially grateful for the many community groups and corporate volunteer teams who have spent time helping in the garden. Volunteers have worked diligently to cut back overgrowth, remove weeds, prepare beds, and plant new crops for the season ahead. Their hard work has helped the U-Pick thrive as temperatures warm and the growing season gets fully underway.

Right now, visitors can harvest a variety of fresh greens and herbs including kale, lettuce, lemon balm, mint, and strawberries. The beds are full of vibrant growth, buzzing pollinators, and signs of even more abundance to come. As summer continues, we are excited for additional crops like tomatoes, cabbage, summer squash, and dill to ripen and become available for harvesting later in the season.

The U-Pick is meant to be a shared community resource, and we encourage visitors to take what they need while enjoying the experience of harvesting food directly from the garden. Whether someone stops by for a handful of herbs, fresh greens for dinner, or simply to spend a quiet moment outdoors, the space is here for everyone.

To help keep the community updated on what is currently ready to harvest, we regularly post updates and photos on our Instagram page whenever new crops become available. We encourage everyone to follow along throughout the season to see what is growing and thriving in the garden.

Any produce that remains unharvested by the end of the week does not go to waste. SEEDS staff harvest the remaining produce and donate it to the Durham Community Fridges, helping ensure that fresh food continues reaching community members who need it most. Through the combined efforts of volunteers, staff, and neighbors, the U-Pick continues to serve as a small but meaningful example of community care, food access, and shared stewardship.