From left, Lucille Carson and Reed Walters prepare to plant cucumbers Thursday in the Butler County Area Agency on Aging garden. Produce from the garden will be harvested and used in salads for the agency's senior centers. Molly Miller/Butler Eagle

Butler County Area Agency on Aging senior volunteers and community service volunteers put their green thumbs to use by planting a garden Thursday morning.

The harvested goods will contribute to healthy eating initiatives at the agency’s senior centers.

Jim Switzer, community service coordinator with Butler County Probation, said he’s teamed up with the agency previously, but wanted to collaborate with seniors for this year’s garden.

“We wanted to partner with an organization that was interested,” he said. “I’ve never had the garden go up this quickly.”

Beth Harold, director of the Agency on Aging, said eight seniors from their centers volunteered to help plant vegetables and fruit.

“We’ll use the veggies to do salad bars for people at the centers. That way, we can do more healthy options for them to take home,” she said.

Harold said beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, radishes, onions and watermelon are just some of the seeds being sown. She added that a greenhouse for starter plants has been purchased with some of the agency’s COVID-19 relief funds.

Switzer said his volunteers and the seniors work well together.

“It was a bit awkward at first because my people had no idea what they were doing today, and the seniors didn’t know what they’d be doing,” he said. “They had to get comfortable with the idea of instructing and directing my team to do what they needed.”

“We have a willing and able crew,” said Brittany Gilfillan, a senior center supervisor.

Madison Anderson, a community service volunteer, plants cucumbers Thursday in the Agency on Aging garden. Molly Miller/Butler Eagle

Jim Winterhalter, a member of Tanglewood Center, said he decided to help because he has had his own home garden for years.

“They asked for volunteers, and I had no idea what we’d be doing. I thought we were planting flowers,” he said. “I just enjoy playing with dirt.”

Winterhalter and Lucille Carson said the project is enjoyable because everyone is on the same page.

“I don’t have a boss, and I’m not the boss,” Winterhalter said. “Everyone does their thing, and it’s probably going to turn out really good.”

“Everybody is helping,” Carson said.

Jim Winterhalter, a senior volunteer, sows seeds Thursday morning in the Agency on Aging's garden. Seniors and community service volunteers worked side by side to plant vegetables for the use of agency senior centers. Molly Miller/Butler Eagle

Switzer said his team and a few seniors will continue maintaining the garden until the harvest.

“Everyone’s done a great job today,” he said. “It’s gone splendidly well.”