|
Leola Street Community Garden provides space to spring into action |
|
Thursday, 20 March 2008 |
by MEGAN NAYLOR
Intern News Reporter
As winter’s grip begins to loosen on the High Country and spring returns, so does the opportunity for residents to once again participate in a community-inspired project called the Leola Street Garden.
The man with the vision behind the creation and management of the community garden is Matt Cooper.
Cooper donates his time to the community and to the garden by organizing the calendar of planting and events for the garden, as well as planning for new programs and improvements for the future.
This season will be the third planting season for the community garden,
which was founded in September 2005 by the Appalachian Cooperative for
Progressive Sustainability, according to the garden’s Web site.
The cooperative leased a little over an acre of land off Leola Street
from the Town of Boone initially, but hopes to expand the area further
in the future, Cooper said.
More than one third of the garden’s area is still open for future
development, meaning there is plenty of room for new gardeners to dig
in and cultivate a space of their own, he said.
Gardening at Leola Street is available to everyone in the community with the cost of a small space fee.
Rental space prices and sizes range from $20 to $40 and from 10 by 15
feet and 20 by 30 feet spaces, depending on the size of the gardening
space desired by the individual.
The space fee is annual, which means gardeners can work on their space
year round without any additional cost, and get a head start on the
growing season by checking on their space consistently.
Early registration is encouraged as space is limited.
“Only five original spaces are left to rent out of the 30 that we made
initially when we started the garden, but people shouldn’t be put off
by that because we can always make more,” Cooper said.
An added bonus for Leola Street gardeners is all fees are tax
deductible since the garden is associated with the Appalachian
Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities, and thus listed as
nonprofit.
The community garden has supported participants by providing seeds and
compost, and when enough funds exist, mulch, straw, leaves, and tools,
according to the Leola Garden Web site.
Cooper said the Leola Street Community Garden is “a space for people to
come together to connect and learn about environmental sustainability
and about growing food, starting from the earth and giving back to the
earth.”
The Leola Street Community Garden is not limited to those who are interested in simply planting.
Cooper’s five-year plan for the garden includes additions such as split
rail fencing, a shed and additional shelter, as well as more fruit and
nut trees/plants, and handicap accessible gardening spaces.
“Gardening is hard work, but we can make it easier by working together,” Cooper said.
“Donations to the garden are always welcome and very much appreciated,
we put all the money back into the garden in one way or another, either
by buying mulch and tools or other needed items for upkeep,” Cooper
said.
The garden’s Web site also offers gardening educational programs, environmental sustainability seminars and seed sharing.
The calendar for these events can be found at www.leolastreetgarden.org.
Trackback(0)
 |
Lifestyles 
TrackBack URI for this entry
Show/Hide comments
