For many years, the late Sheldon and Ruth Wolfe offered their property off of Brown Street at the foot of Queen Street to local residents wishing to plant their own vegetables. Members of the Clifford Horticultural Society youth program took advantage of this opportunity to garden. Each week, they offered their harvested fruits and vegetables to the Clifford Food Bank.
For a couple of years, this garden has been inactive, but last year, the Town of Minto initiated a community garden project building 20 plots on the former tennis courts by the arena in Harriston. They program was a success and expansion to Clifford is planned.
In the 2015 budget, council set aside $10,000 to expand the program to other parts of the community. The town has reached an agreement to lease a vacant lot on Elora Street from Wesley Bates and Jaunita Wilkins for $500 annually. The location is the site of the former farmer’s market in Clifford, located at Elora Street North between Bates’ gallery and Ho and Karine Park’s Village Variety. Fencing will be extended around the garden area where 10 raised garden beds will be constructed.
Anyone interested in learning more, finding out the costs, or signing up for a garden plot, May contact drinking water source protection and building assistant Stacey Pennington at 519-338-2511 ext. 249 or stacey@town.minto.on.ca
With files from Patrick Raftis
