I joined the “GW community garden” last spring on the suggestion of a Master Gardener friend in town. It’s called the GW community garden because it’s located at the George Washington Middle School, although you’d never know from the name. The garden is tucked back between buildings and practically requires a GPS device to locate. But the sun and rain have no issue with the hidden location and the garden thrives.
I had been on a wait list for a garden plot at a rec center and had heard it may be years before I’d get one. The community garden was happy to let me join right away. Plus, I could work with friendly neighbors, some new to gardening, some very experienced, and some even certified Master gardeners. About 25 novice and experienced gardeners alike participate, and the master gardeners freely impart mounds of advice and wisdom.
This is my second year of membership and I’m happy as ever to take part. I mean, how can I not be elated to take home a weekly share like this during the peak season.
The community garden takes up a spacious one-third of an acre and in its third year of production, promises to produce as glorious a bounty as it has the past two years.
Here are members harvesting spinach.
My kids love coming to work alongside other members’ children. This shot was taken last summer after we loaded up the paniers on our bike with greens for the ride home.
Yesterday, the youngest members donned their child-sized garden gloves and planted tomato starts, harvested strawberries, picked lettuce leaves, and helped lay newspaper and mulch between the raised beds.
If you’d like to join the community garden for next year (starting with planning in the late winter 2013), you are more than welcome. In the fall, send an email to gwcommunitygarden [at] gmail.com. For more information about the garden, including more details on how it came to be, recipes, and week-by-week progress reports, see the group’s garden blog.
