SUNDER – The proverbial seeds that were planted almost 10 years ago and subsequently germinated to become the Sundre Community Garden continue to grow.
After the annual general meeting of the organization at the end of last month in the meeting room of the Sundre Community Center, plans were considered to look at adding at least one more plot for a local greenthumb.
“We’re hoping for at least one,” said Renate de Bruijn, community outreach coordinator at Greenwood Neighborhood Place, adding that there could be maybe two, as long as there’s enough space to accommodate both.
“There is a place at the south end that has a large tree trunk that is a little in our way with mowing and (maintenance),” said de Bruijn to Albertan.
“If this is in the way, we can even build another plot on it so that we can use the space instead of throwing on the trunk all the time,” he said.
The demand certainly seems to persist for the plots, all 28 of which are still talked about for each season. And the recent annual meeting indicated that community support has not waned.
“We had six people show up. That’s actually more than previous years, which was good to see,” said de Bruijn, adding that he knew of a few others who had also wanted to participate, but couldn’t. .
“There’s definitely more interest this year than other years,” he said. “We’ve always been a bit full and we’ve had the odd plot that at the last minute it’s not rented, but I have eight people on the waiting list now.”
As there was a substantial amount of snow left on the site when he spoke with the Albertande Bruijn said the plots had not yet been allocated, but added that he anticipated the process would start later this month.
“The plot holders who come back, they mostly keep their plots … they put their soil and compost in the way they want, so they like to keep their plots,” he said.
There are also those who plant certain varieties in autumn, such as garlic, in anticipation of the following season.
“Some people grow chives in their plots, and they just winter,” he said.
The community garden, which is located in a green area surrounded by trees immediately adjacent to the main parking lot of the Sundre hospital, opened for the first time in 2015.
The project was made possible through a partnership between the Greenwood Neighborhood Place Society and Alberta Health Services, which contributed $3,000 through its Thrive for Wellness program, as well as federal funding from the New Horizons for Seniors Program to the amount of $25,000.
Asked if the organization needed additional hands, she said: “We can ask some kids from The Den (Sundre Youth Center) if they want to volunteer and we also have the option of getting some kids through May Queen.
Their help could be instrumental in the construction of the new plot and the shoulder in the ground, a physically demanding effort that is not exactly suitable for senior gardeners and volunteers, he said.
His only concern as the season approaches is no doubt commonly shared in a province facing the possibility of a severe drought this summer.
“Hopefully, you know, the drought will stop and we can use the water we used,” he said, expressing appreciation for last year’s water donation from a local company.
But except for the most extreme restrictions, permits are expected for gardens.
“We don’t just wash our vehicle,” he said.
“We grow food.”
