“Not many people can handle this,” Hastings Domiciliary Program resident Tom Christ says, as he delicately dangles a habanero pepper between his forefinger and thumb. “It’s hot!”

The Vietnam War Veteran is one of about ten Hastings Domiciliary Residents who participates in Home Grown – a “farm-to-table” type program that is a win-win-win situation for all involved.

“First, the Residents win, because they’re getting fresh, healthy produce that literally grew outside their windows,” says Ryan Schwartz, Dietary Director at the Hastings Home. “Second, we all win because growing this food helps cut down on cost. But most importantly, the Residents who take part win, because they really get to work at something and see the results of their labor. It’s therapeutic and rewarding.”

Hastings’ Home Grown program is a combination of the Food and Nutrition program, Sustainability Team, Recreation Therapy, and Public Affairs department. It took off during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m really just a farmer at heart,” says Charles Graling, a Navy Veteran. “My mother took me out to her garden when I was a kid. But most of what I know is from a lifetime of trial and error.”

Graling credits the teamwork at the site with the success of the program. “This was absolutely a group effort.” In addition, he’s proud of some innovating the group took part in, using cattle panels – wire fencing often used for making pens for livestock – to help better use space and increase the harvest.

Residents doubled the growing area of some of the raised bed garden by bolting a cattle panel to the side. Cucumbers are grown on the panel side of the raised bed where they are woven into the panel to promote taller growth with much more sun exposure. An heirloom sweet pepper is grown on the opposite side. Radishes, herbs and arugula are grown in the center. Growing this way does not limit crops to cucumbers, tomatoes or zucchini—even melons can be woven! Yield is not determined by how big the plant is, rather it is determined by how many square feet of sunlight is provided.

While Residents and the dietary staff have been collaborating on this program for several years, this season’s crop harvest was eye-opening. Here are the numbers:

• 1,013 pounds of food grown.
• $2,052.83 in food cost savings.
• Dozens of delicious meals enhanced with garden-fresh produce.

Other Minnesota Veterans Homes also had significant harvests from their own Home Grown style programs. Residents at other Homes – in Fergus Falls, Luverne, Minneapolis and Silver Bay, all benefited from similar garden-to-table programs this summer.

“This is a great example of a tangible sustainability effort,” says Kim Grosenheider, MDVA’s Sustainability Coordinator. “Silver Bay also has a really great garden-to-table program. All of our Homes have a vegetable garden at some level. My hope is that they continue to share best practices with each other and generate excitement for this among our Residents.”

Hastings Resident Tom Christ talks to KSTP-TV News reporter Ellen Galles about his off-the-charts hot habanero peppers.