Thanks to all who helped for the 2011 season, see the thank you page for the complete list.
Courthouse Community Garden Blossoms Once Again
On Friday, June 3rd, many garden enthusiasts were on hand for the annual Planting Day at the Courthouse Community Garden in Salem. Under the direction of Nancy Hand Higby, Dottie Schneider, Janet Britt and Stephanie Coons Frederick, the garden has been professionally designed, prepped and is now planted for another growing season. The garden is on land owned by Woody Hill Farm adjacent to the Courthouse Community Center. The owners of Woody Hill Farm graciously allow use of their rich field in support of this program. This amazing initiative succeeds with the assistance of many helpers including students from Washington Academy. Amy Maxwell's Agriculture classes have been providing necessary help for several weeks preparing the beds. On Planting Day, students from the third grade classes of Mary Skelly and Mary Kruchinski and the fourth grade classes of Tina Luke and Jackie Gawronski visited the garden to plant the seedlings grown in their classrooms. Also on hand were New York State Senator Betty Little and Assemblyman Tony Jordan who take a keen interest in this initiative. Produce grown in the garden will be donated to the Salem Food Pantry each week. Garden volunteers also take produce to the weekly Salem Farmers' Market, and proceeds support the garden's needs. A good portion of the garden is also used for lunch preparation for the children participating in Lunch, Learn & Play. Volunteers who enjoy gardening are always welcome, and are encouraged to visit the Courthouse Community Center to be a part of this great undertaking.
Sowing Seeds, Growing Community
The concept of a community garden in Salem has been an idea for a few years, at least, but it wasn’t until this year that it became a reality. Inspired by the many community gardens growing around the nation and especially the new White House Kitchen Garden started this year, a group of interested individuals initiated the project under the umbrella of the Courthouse Community Center.
NY Grown Peanuts! A gift keeps giving. The National Peanut Board, a major sponsor of the Courthouse Community Garden and the Salem Lunch & Learning Program, not only made a significant financial donation to these worthy projects, but also gave peanut seeds. The seeds were grown in the garden, in pots in the Salem Lunch & Learning Program, and gifted as seedlings to the Gardens at the Executive Mansion in Albany, NY. Late to harvest in the North Country, some of the plants were transplanted to the Salem Central School greenhouse for use and study by the Ag and Science Programs at the school.
Photo:Here Tim, a Courthouse Community Gardener, is checking the growth progress of the potential harvest to come.
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