Volunteers tend Heirloom Victory Garden in Havre de Grace

TL;DR

Volunteers Weed Garden: Volunteers with the Havre de Grace Green Team weeded and worked at the Heirloom Victory Garden on Thursday.[[1]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos/)[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)
2,000 Pounds Yearly: The garden has produced over 2,000 pounds of produce each of the past three years for three local food pantries.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)
Community Food Aid: Volunteer efforts supply fresh vegetables to help local pantries fight food insecurity.[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)

The story at a glance

Photographer Brian T. Krista captured volunteers, including Julie Ruhnke of Havre de Grace, weeding garden beds and performing maintenance tasks at the Heirloom Victory Garden on Thursday.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos) The garden is maintained by the Havre de Grace Green Team. This photo feature highlights ongoing spring volunteer work at the community site.[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)

Key points

Garden established in 2018 at the rear of the Moore Family Homestead, 710 Market Street, Havre de Grace.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)
Maintained solely by Havre de Grace Green Team volunteers; tasks include weeding, watering, planting seeds and seedlings.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)
Provides fresh produce to three local food pantries; output exceeded 2,000 pounds annually for the past three years.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)
Uses open-pollinated heirloom vegetable seeds that can be saved and replanted.[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)
Reflects history of World War I and II victory gardens, promoting home agriculture for food security.[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)

Details and context

The Heirloom Victory Garden sits behind the pre-Civil War Moore Family Homestead, built in 1847 and bequeathed to the city in 2016. It started with a goal of harvesting 1,000 pounds in its first year but has since grown output significantly, donating over 1,500 pounds in 2025 alone according to Green Team reports.[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)[[4]](https://hdgreen.org/testimonial/1000-lbs-of-produce-donated-to-area-food-pantries)

Volunteers adopt plots or help as needed, with activities like educational tours for schools and groups. The garden supports food pantries by growing economical fresh crops, echoing wartime victory gardens that supplemented national food supplies.[[5]](https://hdgreen.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Havre-de-Grace-Green-Team-YIR-Newsletter-Final.pdf)[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)

Key quotes

None reported in accessible content.

Why it matters

Volunteer-run gardens like this one help address local food insecurity by providing free fresh produce to pantries serving vulnerable residents. Residents benefit from direct community involvement in growing and donating vegetables, while learning sustainable practices with heirloom seeds. Watch for seasonal harvest reports or expanded volunteer events from the Green Team.

FAQ

Q: What tasks do volunteers perform at the Heirloom Victory Garden?

A: Volunteers weed garden beds, water plants, and plant seeds and seedlings. The Baltimore Sun photos show Julie Ruhnke and others working on these maintenance jobs on Thursday.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)

Q: Where is the Heirloom Victory Garden located?

A: It is at the rear of the Moore Family Homestead, 710 Market Street in Havre de Grace. The site was chosen for its historical ties to one of the city's first families.[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)

Q: How much produce does the garden donate?

A: It produced over 2,000 pounds each of the past three years, donated to three local food pantries. Earlier years saw 1,420 pounds in 2020 and over 1,500 pounds in 2025.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)[[5]](https://hdgreen.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Havre-de-Grace-Green-Team-YIR-Newsletter-Final.pdf)

Q: Who maintains the Heirloom Victory Garden?

A: The Havre de Grace Green Team and its volunteers handle all maintenance. It was established in 2018 with the city and Historic Preservation Commission.[[2]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/23/heirloom-victory-garden-volunteers-in-havre-de-grace-photos)[[3]](https://hdgreen.org/our-projects/heirloom-victory-garden)