Near the center of town, community gardeners work the soil in the tradition of Granby’s agricultural past. On Hungary Road, in Ahrens Park, kids enthusiastically play ball near the south entrance while gardeners use the next entrance for the Granby Community Gardens. Just as enthusiastically they plant, water and care for their little bit of nature.
Some engage in permaculture; some marvel at all the milkweed plants the site tucks in between the vegetables that attract monarch butterflies to feed. The gardeners till the soil by hand and lay in tiny bits of potential life that they will spend the next few months nurturing with water, organic fertilizers and care.
The Granby Community Gardens, provided by the town, allows any resident to engage in organic gardening to produce flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruit in 20-foot by 20-foot garden plots, for only $10 per site each year. A multiple-bin composter as well as water and hoses, and a shed containing wheelbarrows and hand tools provide nearly everything needed to build and maintain a healthy, productive garden. Seeds can be had at the library’s Seed Library and on the Community Garden’s bulletin board; gardeners supply the time, energy and patience.
In early May, gardeners meet for two hours to discuss garden clean-up and maintenance for the collective site. Gardeners may choose to continue from year to year on the same plot, allowing some to plant and harvest perennials as well as the more familiar home-grown annuals of vegetables, flowers and herbs.
Gardening is a learning experience, and organic gardening has its own special challenges. Among them, feeding the soil to feed the plants while safely and naturally keeping away pests. This year, many of the gardeners had soil samples tested by the state agriculture department to identify what each could do to improve the soil quality so central to productivity.
When the gardens generously produce lettuce and peas, carrots and green beans, tomatoes and beets as well as lots of other things, a group member collects donations to donate to the town’s weekly community dinners.
For new gardeners, there is an abundance of skilled and knowledgeable gardening veterans at the community site, ready and willing to share information to help you get started.
There is still time to join this summer. An email to info@granbygarden.org will get the process started. Don’t dawdle, spring waits for no one!