The growing season arrives at the Hazelwood Community Garden | The Homepage

By Valerie Testa

Hazelwood Initiative Community Garden Manager and Hazelwood resident Valerie Testa in the Hazelwood Community Garden. Photo courtesy of Valerie Testa

Greetings neighbors. It has been a while since my last article about the community gardens. This winter I allowed myself the time to go dormant and focus on things around my home in Hazelwood. While I’m excited for this upcoming season, I feel a little under-prepared.

But onward we shall go!

There have been some exciting infrastructure improvements at the community garden in the past year. The fencing was fixed with entry points added and new beds were created to grow food in a communal area with the intent of distributing to neighbors. Perhaps most exciting of all is the ongoing renovation of the greenhouse and tool shed at the site. The technical know-how and support these projects are receiving has been invaluable. I am excited to see where these resources will take the space and what ideas we will come up with. This resource is available to serve all of us community members. The potential is truly amazing.

The Hazelwood Community Garden is open to people to have their own garden plot and/or help grow vegetables in the communal gardening area. The goal of both these scenarios is to increase access to vegetables cultivated by the hands of our community. This space is big enough to include your ideas too, and I would love to hear them.

If you would like to be involved with the communal gardening plot this season, there will be working hours every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you would like an individual garden bed, we charge $25 per season, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. I’m available to answer questions at gardens@hazelwoodinitiative.org.

There will be a few events at the garden in May. On May 17, join Phipps Conservatory for garden prep and lunch. (See ad on Page 3.) The details of others are being finalized but updates will be sent out in the Hazelwood Initiative e-newsletter. Please sign up at hazelwoodinitiative.org to receive the e-newsletter and keep on the lookout for those events.

Speaking of community, we hosted a seed starting workshop with the help of Hazel Grove Brewery, led by Madison McLean of Library Seed Farm.

Ms. McLean lives in Hazelwood, farms her front and back yard, and supplies seeds to the library that are available for all residents to take and grow. The seeds that are sprouting at the brewery will be tended until they are ready to be planted out by our neighbors.

This season is a continuation of past years’ efforts. While each season has been a little different, we are striving to grow toward creating and maintaining a space where we can gather, learn and grow our own nutritious food. I really hope to see you there this year and I look forward to meeting you.