The
Garden of Feed'em, a community endeavor on St. Paul's East Side, has thrived in its first year.
From the spring of 2010 to today, the garden, which sits on a two-acre piece of land near the
Conway Recreation Center, has produced eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach,
cilantro, and other vegetables and herbs, thanks in part to donations,
according to Barb Winter, who is one of the community members leading
the charge.
In return, lots of vegetables have gone to local food shelves, churches, and rec center seniors, Winter says.
The garden has also become a community gathering place.
It came together after she and some other garden organizers, with the support of the
District 1 Community Council,
got the go-ahead from the St. Paul parks and rec department. The
department had called for community garden proposals for the parcel.
Volunteers
brought in compost and then tilled the land a couple of times, she
says. Fortunately, they were able to get the equipment needed to draw water from an area fire hydrant.
Soon after, the volunteers spread the word about the garden at
various neighborhood meetings. It's attracted plenty of
interest ever since, she says.
As proof of that, the garden has grown from a handful of 5-foot by
30-foot plots last year to the current five communal plots, along with a
dozen rentable plots that run 10 feet by 30 feet.
One thing that
makes the garden unique is that a diverse group grows food there,
including representatives from a handful of local immigrant communities
plus rec center youth. "I'm really glad to see all of the
participation," Winter says, adding, "It's a nice melting pot."
Everyone takes turns watering the garden, she says.
At
monthly meetings, the gardeners discuss issues such as a Japanese
beetle infestation and slow-to-ripen tomatoes, and they share tips and
recipes.
In the coming months, Winter is hoping the Garden will be able to host a fall festival.
She
says it's been a boon for the neighborhood. "It was a lot of work in
the beginning to see the harvest and growth, and now everyone's caught
on," she says. "It's a beautiful thing."
Source: Barb Winter, organizer, Garden of Feed'em
Writer: Anna Pratt