Plans for Midd community garden take root Leaders aim for accessibility, education in town's first public garden to open in May

Author: Amanda Cormier

When Bristol farmer and activist Erin Buckwalter recently worked with a group of Winooski children at the town's community garden, she was surprised to find that many of them did not know carrots grew underground.

Until August, Buckwalter ran the community and youth garden programs for the town of Winooski. As a Master Gardener, she shared her expertise on organic gardening techniques with interested community residents and kids. In Sept., she met Jay Leshinsky, adviser for the College 's Organic Garden, at a community garden workshop associated with the Middlebury Harvest Festival. There, they discussed the prospect of starting a community garden for the town of Middlebury.

"Middlebury is the largest town in Vermont that doesn't have a community garden," said Buckwalter. "That's an issue. There are a lot of students that live here over the summer and people that rent houses during the summer that don't have a garden space in their yard. We also heard from service providers and other people who expressed interest in gardening but do not have space."

Since their initial meeting, Buckwalter and Leshinsky, along with representatives from the College Organic Garden, the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op, UVM and other local organizations have been preparing for a plot to be ready for planting by mid-May.

Initial plans for the garden include similar youth outreach programs used in other Vermont community gardens. But for Buckwalter, the concept of a community garden goes far beyond educating local kids about where their food comes from.

"When I was working in Winooski, we had a lot of low-income people use the garden because 70 percent of kids there qualify for free - or reduced-cost lunch," said Buckwalter. "For a lot of these families, when they receive food stamps and go to the grocery store, fresh fruits and vegetables aren't at the top of their lists because of the price. Many have to buy things like Ramen noodles and mac and cheese.

"For the small fee of $20 for the summer and a couple packets of plants, [the community garden allowed them to] have fresh tomatoes, fresh broccoli and lettuce for a much lower price than at the grocery store," she said.

The garden, which is set to be located on a donated plot of land behind Otter Creek Brewery, would operate as a place where any interested community members can purchase an individual plot of land, with each plot ranging in price from $20 to $30. Plot owners would be able to harvest everything grown on their individual plots.

Buckwalter also said that the planning team is aiming for a Master Gardener demonstration plot, where residents can gain knowledge from experienced gardeners on how to effectively tend to an organic garden. Buckwalter said that accessibility to the garden is front and foremost on the list of priorities.

"The ability for people to take food security into their own hands is one of the keys for me," she said. "I've worked with so many people who don't have the money to necessarily buy fresh organic fruits and vegetables, but are willing to put in the work to grow them. Most community gardens have subsidized plots, so on the applications for plots, there will be opportunities for scholarships or free seeds. Some people who have more money might be able to put in an extra $10 to help someone who can't afford it."

On Jan. 27, the planning committee held an open meeting at Ilsley Library for interested community members to voice their thoughts on the garden. Buckwalter said she was impressed by the turnout and enthusiasm at the meeting, particularly when discussing issues related to the garden being a grassroots effort.

"Usually, town gardens are run by the town recreation department or a nonprofit organization, which do all the staffing and the handling of mail, responding to e-mails, etc," said Buckwalter. "In Middlebury, that's not really happening. it's more of a grassroots-based initiative, so we don't have an office space."

Residents of the town also discussed funding opportunities for resources like tools and water. Although the group is applying for a grant from the Vermont Community Garden Network, the garden will also need donations to cover items like hoses and a toolshed.

Buckwalter also anticipates starting a mentoring program for College students and community garden users. She hopes that College students can provide transportation to the garden for those who do not have access to it or wish to visit at a time when buses aren't running. However, emphasizing its role as a garden for community members, she is clear to point out that the College will play an important - but not dominant - role in its planning and execution.

"We're trying to make [the planning committee] as well-rounded of a group as possible," she said. "While I think Middlebury College will play a very important role, it will be no more important than, say, the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op.

"I think some people in the community see the College as a thing they know is there, but don't necessarily feel comfortable with. We're trying to find a neutral place for the community garden to be held so that people from different socioeconomic statuses can feel comfortable coming and participating."

The town of Middlebury's focus on building community ­­- often through investing in the local economy - is also a key objective of the garden.

"Gardening builds community," Buckwalter said. "It lets people meet each other that don't necessarily meet otherwise, just by having plots next to each other. People begin to look out for each other."