Parish offers free garden plots to feed those in need |
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Written by LAURIE STEVENS BERTKE, Chronicle Writer
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Friday, 05 June 2009 01:00 |
WAUSEON—Twelve neat plots of earth sat tilled and ready for the local residents who arrived May 21 to stake out their spots in a new community garden created at Wauseon St. Caspar.
The Catholic parish is offering the plots free of charge this summer to anyone interested in growing their own fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Jim and Caralou Sanders plant a row of tomatoes on their plot in a community garden located on the property of Wauseon St. Caspar. The plots are available for use by anyone in the community, free of charge. (Chronicle photo by Laurie Stevens Bertke) |
"Basically it’s to help people help themselves in the efforts to meet the needs of feeding their families," says Dolores Spieles, a parishioner of St. Caspar and member of the committee charged with developing the garden.
"Our hope is that it becomes truly community," she adds.
Mrs. Spieles and her husband, Jim, pitched the idea to the pastoral council after they saw examples of community gardens in Granville, Ohio. The project was approved and an ecumenical committee of 15 people, including parishioners and others from the Wauseon community, diligently worked to make the garden a reality.
Local farmers Jim Barhite, Nate Andre and Glen Kaufman prepared the soil and other committee members measured and roped off the 10-by-20 foot plots.
The parish is donating extra land it owns on the south side of church for the community garden, which has room to grow if more plots are needed in the future. "We could double or triple the size of it if we have to," says Mr. Spieles.
The free garden plots were advertised in the St. Caspar bulletin and the local newspaper, and flyers were posted in area apartment buildings. Nine of the 12 plots were spoken for by May 21, when the gardeners were invited to stop by St. Caspar in the evening to sign paperwork and select their piece of land.
Jim and Caralou Sanders came prepared to dig in to their plot immediately, and the couple was planting rows of tomato and kohlrabi plants shortly before dusk in the community garden.
"I just hope people see it and it grabs a hold and more people get involved with it," says Mr. Sanders, a parishioner of St. Caspar and member of the committee that developed the community garden.
Denise and Lloyd Gehle also worked on the committee and are planning to use a plot for their own family this summer.
"I’m going to share it with my daughter and their family and get the grandkids involved in this little project," says Mrs. Gehle, whose family belongs to St. Caspar.
According to the guidelines issued by the parish, the community garden is "a place for anyone who would like to garden, learn and share their knowledge with others, provide nutritious food for families and create a pleasant environment of outreach for all in the community of Wauseon."
The creation of the community garden at St. Caspar coincides with a nationwide trend of increased interest in food gardening among U.S. families. The National Gardening Association reports the number of households planning to cultivate their own fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs is up 19 percent this summer from last year, and 21 percent of those 43 million gardening households will be new to gardening.
A well-maintained food garden can yield an estimated half-pound of fresh produce per square foot of garden area, which is worth $2 per pound at in-season market prices, according to the association.
Mrs. Spieles connects the community garden to other social outreach efforts of the parish, such as its food pantry and St. Vincent de Paul Society.
"Hopefully, more persons will see the benefit of growing their own vegetables, camaraderie with their colleagues in this activity and financial ease to their budget when they do their weekly grocery shopping," says Mrs. Spieles.
While the plots are available free of charge, gardeners must provide their own tools and plants and are asked to pay a $5 water fee for the season. Ms. Spieles says a large tank of water is to be located beside the garden for convenience.
Lil Bit Country, a local nursery, is offering community gardeners a 10 percent discount on vegetable plants.
Gardeners can seek advice and support from the committee members and from the Fulton County office of The Ohio State University Extension, which is partnering with St. Caspar on the garden project.
Greg LaBarge, extension educator, says his office is available to answer gardening questions and provide information on home canning or other ways to utilize or preserve the produce.
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For more information on the St. Caspar community garden, call the parish office at 419-337-2322.
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Last Updated on Friday, 04 September 2009 14:41 |
