Popularity grows for community garden

Devoted local gardeners are busy getting their green thumbs in tip-top shape.

Gardeners are out preparing their plots at the Innisfail Community Garden, weeding and putting down fresh soil for the new growing season that officially began May 16.

“This is our final prep night before the season opens,” said Marion Davidson, member with the community garden committee. “We're finishing seven new garden beds, two of which are higher for people with limited mobility and five of the regular size cedar garden beds.”

This year, the community garden has seven new raised garden beds for a total of 19, along with 12 garden plots, each 10 by 20 feet, for a grand total of 31 garden spaces.

Now in its sixth year, the community garden recently received donations from local organizations, including the Glendale Elks and the Innisfail Farmers' Market, and area businesses as well.

“We want to thank the people that have contributed money to build these beds and make these improvements to our garden,” said Davidson, adding the community garden is located on town-owned land and has water available on site.

“The town provides the water and they also own the land. They did the rototilling of the plots for us,” she said, noting the raised community garden bed that is currently growing asparagus and rhubarb.

“We're opening it up to the community to pick and to help themselves to rhubarb and asparagus. It was planted last year,” said Davidson.

The community garden is now full, noted Davidson, as all plots and beds have been spoken for.

“We're expecting to see a little bit of everything this season. We've opened it up a bit in the last two years so that people can plant perennials as well,” she added, pointing to strawberries and herbs planted last year. “People are asking about flowers too. It's pretty open as to what people can grow here.”

The community garden has about 30 members who all contribute to the community atmosphere, noted Davidson.

“People help and we learn from each other,” she said. “I think that's what people like about the community garden – it's a community thing,” she said, adding she encourages those growing large amounts of food to designate a row and donate the produce to the Innisfail and District Food Bank.

“It is becoming more popular. I think because people are very interested in growing their own food and fresh food locally,” said Davidson. “Fresh produce is also becoming more expensive and with the downturn in the economy, all of those things are (contributing to the community garden) too.”

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