Worthington Gets a CG in their City Park

http://www.sustainableworthington.org/projects.asp

http://www.sustainableworthington.org/c-garden.asp


Community garden will grow on city ground
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 3:12 PM
By CANDY BROOKS
ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Worthington community finally has a place to grow together.
Plans are being made this fall to plant a community garden at the Worthington Community Center next spring.
A public meeting will be held the evening of Oct. 1. Beginning at 7:30, gardeners will be able to look at the garden plots. A meeting at the center will begin at 8.
The city will make available 30 plots that are 20 feet by 30 feet each on the northwest side of the community center parking lot. Residents will be able to rent a plot for $40 a year, or $25 for a half plot.
There, they will be able to work side-by-side with neighbors sowing and growing vegetables, herbs, or flowers.
Members of Sustainable Worthington have been trying to establish a community garden for the past two years. A proposal to start a garden at the United Methodist Children's Home fell through when problems cropped up.
The garden at the community center is meant to be cost neutral to the city, with gardeners expected to volunteer to take care of coordination, communications, maintenance and programs.
Participants will also be expected to tend their plots on a regular basis, attend meetings, and grow more than they need so that donations of fresh food can be made to charitable organizations such as the Worthington Food Pantry.
Gardeners will bring their own tools. Efforts will be made to keep the garden organic, with no use of pesticides or herbicides or treated lumber.
Water will be available from a pump, but no hoses will be used.
No fences will be erected, unless efforts to keep animals out fail using other means, said Lisa Staggenborg of Sustainable Worthington.
Organizers are also planning to offer educational programs for gardeners.
Early registration will be available at the meeting. Volunteer assignments will be made at a kickoff meeting in November, when plot assignments will also be made
To learn more about the garden or to apply for a plot, go to the Sustainable Worthington Web site, www.sustainableworthington.org, or e-mail info@sustainableworthington.org.
cbrooks@thisweeknews.com