ADRIAN, Mich. — ProMedica is working to make Lenawee County healthier, one vegetable at a time.
The health care system has a three-acre farm at the Hickman Hospital campus in Adrian, Mich., where it grows fresh fruit and vegetables for the community.
"My day starts with some amazing volunteers arriving at the farm to water the hoop house and garden," ProMedica Farms and Veggie Mobile manager Amy Gilhouse said.
She's been in charge of the operations for the last year and a half.
The program started out of the need to improve access to fresh and affordable produce.
"A county health assessment was reporting that very few adults were eating the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day," ProMedica Director of Community Impact in Michigan, Frank Nagle said.
ProMedica found part of that reason was because of a lack of transportation and financial strain.
Not only can people get fresh food at affordable prices, but they are able to learn about the health benefits and how to grow the items themselves.
"Every year, the veggie mobile and the farms serve somewhere around 5,000 residents," Nagle said.
For those who can't visit the farm, that's where the veggie mobile comes in, making 19 stops throughout the county every week.
It's ProMedica's way of making sure residents are able to get fresh food, because farm-to-table is the goal.
"Since the veggie mobile started in 2013, there's been over 50,000 people that have been served with fresh produce," Nagle said.
The farm's produce includes foods like potatoes, beets and bell peppers.
Nagle said it is all part of an effort to create a healthier community.
"That's what we really look to do here. We want to be the extended helping hand versus the prescribed plan," he said.
Both the farm and veggie mobile are open year-round.
Leader says it's important to always have access but to also have the skills to do it themselves.
"We work on not only educating on how to grow and plant different vegetables and fruits but we also work on educating on the nutritional value," Gilhouse said.
The veggie mobile runs Monday through Thursday.