To celebrate how the company has grown over the past 10 years, Keen has partnered with Cannon Greens Garden to grow garden-fresh veggies for its Keenfest birthday party on Wednesday, July 31, during Outdoor Retailer. Additionally the extra produce grown for Keen will be donated to the local food bank. The outdoor brand launched its hybrid sandal at the industry trade show ten years ago.
 
As part of the partnership, Keen has donated $5,000 to make long-lasting improvements to the community garden located at 778 W California Ave (1300 South) in Salt Lake City. Keen’s donation has allowed the Cannon Greens Garden to expand by 36 plots, put up a fence to enclose the garden for added security from theft, supply the garden with ADA accessible raised garden beds, and purchase a much needed shed to store garden tools. Keen compiled a video about the garden and the partnership.
 
“Planting seeds and supporting community gardens in Salt Lake City is the perfect way to celebrate our first decade in business, since Keen debuted its hybrid sandal at Outdoor Retailer ten years ago,” said Linda Balfour, director of marketing at Keen. “We are honored to fund the expansion of Cannon Greens Garden which has allowed community members not only to grow food for our Keen celebration, but also will enable them to grow produce and feed community members for years to come.”

“The Cannon Greens Garden is such a playful garden. It’s unique in that it brings together such a diverse group of people together to do really fun things,” said Jennifer Hamilton, Jennifer Hamilton, Community Garden Coordinator for Wasatch Community Gardens which oversees Cannon Greens Garden. “Keen’s grant is really helping us to grow our community connections.”
 
Cannon Greens Garden is a part of Salt Lake City’s Community Garden Program that   provides residents with access to community gardens on land owned by the city. Salt Lake City is committed to fostering the development of a vibrant, sustainable and equitable local food system capable of providing healthy food to all city residents. City gardens are managed by Wasatch Community Gardens, a 501(c)(3) organization committed to empowering people of all ages and incomes to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food. The non-profit offers a spectrum of dynamic programs, workshops, and events.
 
Keenfest Harvest

Cannon Greens Garden has grown vegetables for the three-day Outdoor Retailer event Keenfest: The Garden, including 50 tomato plants, 50 basil plants, 25 cucumber plants and25 summer squash plants. Cannon Greens Community Garden has also grown produce inside the custom-built raised planters: 10 tomato plants, 10 basil plants, 5 cucumber plants, 5 summer squash plants and 4 salad green trays.
 
Cannon Greens Community Garden hopes the plants will yield 240 tomatoes, 100 summer squash and 100 cucumbers. In additional, Cannon Greens Community Garden will provide a communal salad to be served on Wednesday, July 31, for Keen’s 10th birthday celebration. Though weather and timing makes it difficult to estimate the exact harvest, Cannon Greens Community Garden aims to deliver enough vegetables for approximately 3,000 servings.