UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — At the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona, a garden yields fresh produce such as corn, tomatoes, strawberries, zucchini and peppers. It is part of the "Seed to Supper" program, a Penn State Extension Master Gardener initiative that teaches adults on a limited budget how to grow their own food. For one veteran in hospice care, the garden became a lifeline.

This veteran, whose name is withheld for privacy, had gardened his entire life, growing and preserving food for his family.

“Being in the hospital and unable to garden — especially with no one continuing it at home in his absence — he really was feeling that loss,” said Alane Timmerman, one of the Master Gardeners leading the program at the hospital.

“He was the veteran who was interested in everything about the garden,” she continued. “When you’re staying at the VA Hospital, whether for recovery or for long-term care, you have very few choices for daily activities.”

That lack of control often weighs heavily on patients, Timmerman noted. But something changed when this veteran discovered the Seed to Supper program.

“He would be waiting for us to start our sessions,” Timmerman said. “During the presentations, he always had a lot to add. He shared his knowledge and experience about soil, watering and optimal growing conditions. He was eager to share his information and was involved in making it successful.”

The Seed to Supper sessions covered fundamentals, such as soil preparation, garden planning, planting, maintenance and harvest. For this veteran, being part of the process renewed his sense of purpose. He visited the garden almost daily, weeding, watering and monitoring throughout the gardening season.

Timmerman recalled: “He once told me, ‘This garden has saved my life. I have very little control over anything, but I can come out here, see this garden, watch things grow, and help take care of these plants. This gives me a reason to get up every morning.’”

The veteran eventually was discharged from the hospital and returned home.

The Seed to Supper program, which originated from the Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State University Extension Service, came to the Altoona VA three years ago.

Lisa Haas, former Master Gardener coordinator for Blair County, helped establish the program at the hospital. “We provided tools, soil for the raised beds, and all the plants,” Haas said. “Then, we taught the residents how to garden with six or seven classes that first year.”

The residents also enjoy the harvest.

“Food services staff take suggestions from residents about which vegetables they want and how they’d like them cooked,” said Pamela Rose, the current Blair County Master Gardener coordinator.

Timmerman recalled one resident’s request: “Last year, a veteran asked the nutrition staff if he could be served a particular harvested cucumber that was prepared in a certain way. The nutrition staff delivered exactly what he asked for.” That level of autonomy is rare in a hospital setting, she pointed out.

Another veteran found comfort through what Timmerman called “reminiscence gardening.”

“He looked at the corn, and he started talking about his wife — how she was the gardener, not him,” Timmerman said. “It reminded him so much of her, and it turned into reminiscing about his life with her.”

She added that the sensory experience of gardening evoked powerful memories for veterans: “One veteran smelled the flowers and said, ‘Oh, my wife would have loved this.’”

Gardening also promotes healthier eating habits, as people tend to eat more fresh, whole foods when they grow them, Timmerman noted.

Rose emphasized the physical activity involved in gardening.

“Even if they’re in a wheelchair, they’re still moving around, weeding, picking produce and planting,” she said.

The garden has become a community space. Recently, after a corn harvest, the residents came out to shuck the corn, and everyone enjoyed grilled Mexican street corn.   

For the Master Gardeners who run the program, the learning experience goes both ways.

“Our title is ‘Master Gardeners,’ but that simply means that we love to learn,” Haas said. “I’ve learned as much, if not more, from the veterans.”

As the Seed to Supper program continues to grow at the VA hospital, its organizers are looking to expand their reach and connect with more partner organizations. Timmerman also mentioned plans for new raised beds designed to be more accessible for veterans in wheelchairs.

“They’re U-shaped, so people can put their wheelchair in the center and work their whole way around the sides,” she said.

Haas noted that Seed to Supper was created for people facing food insecurity and lacking access to fresh produce.

“What’s amazing is how engaged participants become,” she said. “Even if they don’t have much experience gardening, everyone seems to have something to share, even if it’s just a small story about their grandmother who used to grow peonies.”