Seed to Sales: Garden

By Ron Roberts

If you’ve ever been to one of Madison’s community gardens, you’ve probably noticed how much love and joy goes into and comes out of these organic plots of earth and produce. The Madison Christian Community gardens on the west side produce much of the ingredients used to make Chrysalis Pops. Chrysalis’ partnership with the Madison Christian Community is a good example of how these partnerships make Pops possible. Lots of produce is simply donated by the church and Chrysalis employs some of its consumers to work in their own garden plot. I got to visit these gardens and talk to two of the employees. 

Amy, who also happens to live in my building, was helping pick some of the last raspberries of the season. She told me what she loves best about this opportunity is telling people, “I’m going to work tomorrow!” She has been working the garden plot for this whole season, even those super hot days she says may be the only downside to this job. 

I walked over to watch Tim producing some of the high quality compost the garden uses. He told me he likes every aspect of his job and couldn’t really think of anything he didn’t like. His favorite part of working in the gardens is making the compost. It was the best looking compost I’ve seen. 

I enjoyed seeing firsthand the beginning stage that goes into the Pops process. The great attitudes of everyone there, both Chrysalis peeps and Church peeps, the beautiful nature, and the exceptional 74 degree weather made a nice first impression on me. I wish everyone who enjoys a Chrysalis Pop could experience what I did. They would realize that these popsicles are nothing like the commercially produced ones we all grew up with!