MARDEN – There is an unusual community garden located on the grounds of Grace Community Church in Marden.
Unlike many community gardens, there is no charge for the plots here and all members, including manager Caroline Prochazka, are volunteers.
The church donates the land and has made its well water available to the volunteers.
Approximately 50% of what is grown at the GROW Community Garden (GCG) is donated to local food security organizations, Prochazka said.
“We can also provide garden learning, sharing of knowledge among the volunteers, and awareness building in the community.”
Prochazka said the volunteers have also built community between them.
GCG’s vision is to build a “community where individuals have access to healthy food and the opportunity to experience the joy of gardening.”
The GCG, initially a project of Transition Guelph, was introduced in 2016. After a few years, the Guelph Tool Library took over.
Their access to grant funding made it possible to have a paid manager at first.
This year, on a zero budget, Prochazka and her partner Quin Shirk-Luckett have assumed the responsibility of managing the garden.
Many of the plots at GCG are soley for donation purposes. Volunteers care for their plots and some have their own plots as well.
Prochazka said they have a strong group of volunteers that have made the season thus far a success.
With a donation of over 400 dollars worth of food in June, Prochazka hopes July will be even better.
Volunteers commit to the project for the season and can work their own individual plot.
All volunteers are asked to help maintain the plots designated for donation, and most volunteers also donate produce, fruits, herbs and occassionaly edible and decorative flowers from their own plots.
Local food security organizations like Chalmers Community Services Centre in Guelph are happy with the food GCG brings, Prochazka said.
“If you’re on a subsistence budget, herbs are probably not high on your spend list.”
Prochazka said that bringing foods and herbs that add flavour and reflect different cultural cuisines has received an especially enthusiastic response.
The garden tends to have an abundance of sunflowers at seasons end. In past years they have been donated to CCSG’s Café program, Prochazka said.
This season, Sue Kelly of Elora joined as a volunteer.
“I’m an ornamental gardener, and I thought I would like to learn how to grow foods,” Kelly said.
Kelly said volunteering at a community garden seemed a good way to learn. And the garden’s mandate to support people who are in need appealed to her.
“Groceries, especially fresh produce is so expensive,” Kelly said.
Through her gained experience, Kelly said she hopes to start a similar community garden in her neighbourhood one day.
Both Prochazka and Kelly spoke about the need for in-kind donations.
“When garden centres are closing, if they have seedlings or produce plants left at the end of their selling season, we’ll be happy to take them and plant them and get the food to where it’s needed,” Kelly said.
Prochazka noted that Guelph/Eramosa Township donated wood chips to lay on the garden paths to help prevent weeds from growing and spreading.
“In-kind donations are really important to our operations,” Prochazka said.
Volunteer Sue Kelly, an ornamental gardener from Elora, joined GCG to learn about growing food, and because the GCG’s mission to provide healthy food to those in need appealed to her.
Wood chips, natural fertilizers, straw for mulch, seedlings and plants, watering cans – such items would enhance the ability of the volunteer gardeners have a successful season.
Guelph Tool Library has been able to cover inusrance and provide some grant funding on occasion that Prochazka is able to use to enhance the garden, but most of the needs are supplied through donation.
“I am so thankful to Grace Community Church,” Prochazka said.
“They are an example of how community support helps us do what we do.”
“We are able to operate with essentially no budget,” Prochazka said.“We are successful in sourcing useful supplies in a variety of ways.”
Prochazka said Facebook marketplace, friendly neighbours, and in-kind donations like compost and dirt from FE Prior Landscaping, and seedlings from nurseries are just some of the examples.
The oldest bed borders of the garden are in need of repair. Donations of 2×8 or 2×10 lumber would be gratefully welcomed. Prochazka said they are always in need of composted cow manure.
“This project continues to be a wonderful lesson is self-sufficiency and resourcefulness,” Prochazka said.
“It’s always been a community effort at its heart.”
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating can connect through the Guelph Tool Library at info@guelphtoollibrary.org
