The Estevan Community Garden project received an optimistic response and a few potential new members last Wednesday evening.
Chantelle Dubreuil, one of the proponents of the garden project spoke to 17 of Estevan's newer citizens who were attending the Estevan Area Literacy Group's English as another language class conducted by the Southeast Regional College in Spruce Ridge School.
Dubreuil explained the purpose and advantages of getting involved in a community garden project, and following her presentation, the class participants exercised some of their newly acquired English skills by telling classmates and guests where they were from and what vegetables they enjoyed eating.
The community gardeners are still waiting for a green light from Estevan's City Hall regarding their request to make use of a two-lot piece of property along Lynd Crescent that is not slated for any residential development.
"There is enough space there for 28 community garden spaces, but for now, we're planning to have just 12 garden strips to start with," said Dubreuil who noted that seven garden plots are already spoken for, and following her presentation to the newcomers, there were at least two more very interested respondents willing to sign a prospective sheet to reserve a plot, and perhaps even a few more participants within the next week.
"It will cost us as a group about $2,400 to build the raised garden beds and gain access to a water supply," Dubreuil said.
"We hope to get the go-ahead from council soon so we can claim some ownership of this land and get down to cleaning the lot and building the garden beds with a couple of work bees," she added.
Kathryn Roberton, co-ordinator of the literacy program in Estevan, said newcomers to Estevan often end up in small apartments where they feel enclosed and unable to branch out and explore the city. The idea of getting their own garden plot might just appeal to them since many are familiar with farming or gardening. It's also an excellent way to get to know other people in the city.
Dubreuil said the gardens will be all organic, meaning there will be no pesticides or chemical fertilizers applied and no genetically modified seeds being planted.
"It could be a nice educational experience for everyone and an opportunity to help one another. Kids who get involved will learn where their vegetables come from and for many people, tending to a garden plot is pretty therapeutic," said Dubreuil. She added that if some people from other countries decide to get involved, it will open up more diversification doors and local gardeners will be able to learn something from our newest citizens.
The community garden group has been assured by the city officials that the land in question will never be used for residential development since it is located under a power line and is too close to the valley. Yet there is easy access to the land from the front.
Building the garden beds will be first on the list and the garden team is not planning to fence the plots in, at least not this year, hoping that neighbours and common sense will reduce any vandalism issues.
Pets will not be allowed on the site and Dubreuil noted that composting exercises will be monitored so as to not get out of hand and thus reduce the possibilities of unwanted pests visiting the garden. The team also expects to construct a small rest area and garden tools will be made available.
Dubreuil said weather-permitting, the first work bees will be held on the last weekend in April and/or the first weekend in May. That will set the stage for the first round of planting around the May long weekend with the last planting probably scheduled for the middle of June. "With raised garden beds, you can get going a little earlier than usual and can go a bit later in the fall if need be," she said.
Some protective canopy materials will be available to cover crops to form a type of greenhouse effect while keeping marauding birds at bay. A community bed will be built to accommodate those who want to grow high standing crops such as corn or sunflowers.
The $10 membership fee and $20 or $30 charge for the plots should cover the start-up costs for the members. Active members this year will get preference for next year, said the community garden promoter. The expectations are that if this year's venture is successful, the participants will be able to expand the gardening project next season.
Dubreuil said there is policy in place already that if a participant seeds a plot but then proceeds to neglect it, that plot will be taken over by the membership and will be allocated to the next person on the waiting list, once that is established.
"If garden raiding becomes an issue, and we don't think it will be, but if it is, we have security measures that can be used, and we'll also try to heighten the awareness of the neighbourhood if that's going on," she said.
Further information regarding the community garden project may be obtained by contacting estevancommunitygardens@gmail.com or Dubreuil at 306-421-8785.
