Garden Spotlight - Custer & 5th Avenue

During another great chat with my neighbor, Ms. Helene, she mentioned a community garden near the corner of Custer and 5th Avenue.  I hadn't heard about the garden but immediately wanted to check it out!  Luckily I live within a reasonable distance and was able to ride my bike over to investigate.  I arrived to find a substantial garden surrounded by a chicken wire fence with a wooded area around most of the perimeter.  The garden was calling me in for a closer look but once again, I was hesitant because of the woods.  I  thought I heard something moving in the trees which caused me to take a brief pause. I looked in the woods, then at my bike, then back at the woods, then at the garden.  Realizing that whatever I thought I heard would have already attacked by this point, I decided to get closer.  With ipod camera in hand, I approached a scarecrow (made only of a plaid t-shirt propped on a stake) and snapped a few pictures.  There was a mass of rain clouds above and a bit of wind blowing which caused the shirt to flutter.  Upon further inspection, I discovered a single aluminum pie pan moving back & forth on another stake.  Deciding that the noise I heard was probably the tinkering sound coming from the pie pan, I was able to get comfortable and enjoyed a nice walk through the garden rows.

The garden featured several raised beds, some appearing to be recently harvested and others full of new life. There were large wooden markers identifying each bed's contents which included herbs, bell peppers and squash to name a few.  As I walked through, I realized someone had recently watered the garden and wished I had come by a bit earlier in the day.  A chat with the person responsible for this garden would have been magnificent!

 

I look forward to seeing how this garden grows and am so thankful that Ms. Helene brought it to my attention.  It's very exciting to see so many people investing their time and energy into growing food in my community! I look forward to learning more about the garden very soon.