Growing Community with a Community Garden
Clifford and Sylvia Crawford have generously donated the use of their property just off Legion Street in Andover, behind the Wesleyan Church.
During 2013, 8 people grew their own veggies in the garden….the P-A Community Garden Group hopes that more folks will get involved this year. Garden plots are 5 feet wide by 25 feet long, and you may use more than one plot if you need it.
The garden will be turned and tilled by tractor, so if you want a garden this year this will save you a lot of toil and labour.
Last year the land was turned, tilled and had composted sheep manure added to start building the soil up. This year we will add compost bins for use by all the gardeners.
As this project grows the garden will get better and more lush every year! The Village of Perth-Andover has hooked up a faucet near the garden, so you won’t need to truck your own water in (though you may want to use barrels to warm the water first before pouring it on your tender little plants)
We put out a call for a garden shed to store tools in, and Andy Savoy has answered the call. He’ll be moving a shed near the garden when the weather clears up a bit. Thank you Andy!
We have some other items on our wish list that perhaps you, or someone you know, may be willing to donate to the cause:
- Pallets or lumber to use to make compost bins
- Tools
- Hoses (the water faucet is about 100 feet from the garden!)
- A wheelbarrow
- Garden Books
- Save your leaves and grass clipping for our compost bins!
With less than a month until the Spring Solstice, the time will just fly by and it will soon be time to plant. The next Garden Group meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 7 pm at the Perth-Andover Baptist Church. Pastor Michael has generously granted us permission to use the church facilities to hold meetings and offer educational workshops.
If you’d like to join the group or grow your own food this year, please come to the meeting or join our Facebook Group for news and updates.
Proposed future workshops include:
- Vermiculture (worms as pets)
- Composting
- Cooking Fresh Vegetables… especially stuff you seldom see in the stores
- Pickling
- Herbs for Health & Flavour
- Lacto-Fermentation Practices
- Canning
- Root Cellars
We need a great sign to point out our garden to folks and would love to see your artistic ideas for our perfect community garden sign!
Community gardens are about way more than just growing some vegetables. Communities that garden together become more connected. Crime rates drop visibly and people feel more secure. It offers people a positive life enhancing way to focus their energies. And, community gardens are beautiful!
Get involved, get inspired and help us grow our community as well as some luscious vegetables this year!
Let’s Get Growing!”
