Several years ago Beaverdell acquired a grant for a community greenhouse. Once the greenhouse was situated and installed a small group pulled together to take on the task of maintaining and utilizing the space.
This past summer outdoor raised beds were added as well as a potting shed. The Gardens were named “Goodkey Gardens” as an acknowledgement of a retiring community volunteer who for many years ran the food bank and hot lunch program at our Beaverdell Elementary School. Jerry’s passion for feeding his community will live on in the garden that bears his name.
The gardening group has met weekly to accomplish specific projects, such as filling raised beds, landscaping, and planting. A watering schedule was drawn up to ensure that the garden and greenhouse flourished. Many community members donated tools, seeds, and bedding plants.
The group received a Neighbourhood Small Grant, and with the funds purchased a wheelbarrow, many much needed tools, seed garlic, and doughnuts produced by a local baker for our open house! We have even managed to set aside a budget for purchase of seeds and bedding plants next spring.
The open house, held in September, was a great success, providing an opportunity to speak to community members and answer questions about what we were doing in the garden. It also gave us a chance to learn from gardeners that have lived in the area for a long time and are familiar with the challenging soil conditions and relatively short growing season.
In addition to the food produced in private plots, we harvested a bumper crop of tomatoes for use in the local hot lunch program. The gardening group got together at the community hall and pickled green tomatoes!
We are constantly learning at this garden – what crops work best, who might benefit from starting their seedlings in the greenhouse in the spring, who might be interested in claiming a section of outdoor raised beds…
This will be an ongoing program which is ultimately about producing good healthy food and sharing it with friends and neighbours. We learned that this is not a new concept in our community – but simply the latest step in a longstanding Beaverdell tradition of growing food and feeding friends and family.
