Cultivating

Councillor Lenny Epstein says community gardens work best when driven by grassroots groups.

Council considers community gardens

Veronica Catry says people like community gardens. She, and the agency she works for, would like to see more develop across the region. She made her pitch to a receptive audience at Shire Hall last week.

“Sixty seven percent of people in Prince Edward County support community gardens,” Catry reports. “They like the fact that this is fresh, healthy and affordable food, as well as the sense of accomplishment people get from these gardens.”

She notes that the County is already highly attuned to importance of fresh food and the challenges of food insecurity. She credits groups such as Slow Food and Food not Bombs for making this a top of mind issue for many in this community.

She asked the municipality to consider supporting such initiatives through the removal of policy barriers, the provision of public land and some staff resources to pull this together.

Councillor Bill Roberts supports the idea, noting that the 2013 Vital Signs report identified gaps in food security in this community. Roberts suggests Recreation Committees might play a coordinating role.

Some were ready to get digging.

“We’ve got land,” says Councillor Kevin Gale, eyeing the public relations opportunity. “We’ve got vacant lots on Main Street. There is nothing better than coming into Picton and seeing our community garden.”

Gale had enough information.

“If we build it, they will come,” he says.

Others wanted a bit more information.

“How do you sort out disputes between those who wish to grow their food organically and those who want to use pesticides?” asked Councillor David Harrison.

Councillor Lenny Epstein has experience with comunity gardens in Kingston. He say the simplest solution is to prohibit the use of pesticides and herbicides.

“Then there isn’t a dispute,” noted Epstein.

Others wanted to know how much to charge.

Catry suggested a range of options.

“Some are free, awarded by lottery. In some cases there is a small fee to cover water access,” said Catry.

Councillor Jim Dunlop suggested a co-ordinator— either volunteer or staff—would be needed to oversee the project, measure results and disentangle disputes.

“As opposed to everyone doing their own thing,” said Dunlop.

Epstein agreed but cautioned against a topheavy plan.

“You really need grassroots commitment to make this work,” says Epstein. “The key is to start small and see how it grows.”

The opportunity is likely lost for this growing season, but staff have indicated they will prepare a report within a few months in anticipation of a 2016 trial.

Community gardens explained

Council likes the idea of community gardens. But what do such places mean in a largely rural community like the County? What do community gardens mean in an agricultural county?

Councillor Lenny Epstein has been involved in two other community gardens—both in Kingston. He acknowledges community gardens are typically created in densely populated urban regions where many folks don’t have access to green space. But he says the sense of community that is created and fostered in such endeavours offers positive benefits for all involved—something he says has value here, too.

So how do community gardens work?

According to Epstein, step one involves identifying and securing a plot of land. Both community gardens with which he has been involved were located on urban land. Then the plot is typically subdivided.

“Normally you have distinct plots that you can rent for the season,” explains Epstein.

“Once you have a piece of land you need some basic materials to get started—soil, implements and perhaps some ends of lumber for raised beds. My experience is that communities are very good about donating these starting materials. So there are not much starting costs.”

The Picton library, aside from books and media, also lends seeds.

“All you need is people willing to do it,” says Epstein.

As with the plants themselves, ideas like community gardens tend to grow and propogate.

Epstein is also working on an initiative to collect the fruit and nuts that grow wild or untended—producing food that only falls to the ground. Modelled on programs such as Not far from the tree and Hidden Harvest, Epstein is forming a local group that will prepare an inventory of fruit and nut trees in the area.

“A lot of trees don’t get harvested,” says Epstein. “Groups like these try to collect as much of that usable food as possible.”

The harvest is either donated to the foodbank or it is canned or preserved. Epstein says there are already 50 members in the Facebook group.

“Some in the group who are interested in pruning, some in grafting—everyone is concerned about food security. Someone emailed me from South Bay to say he has an entire orchard he doesn’t touch.”