On Saturday I rode my bicycle down the Midtown Greenway, a former railroad corridor in south Minneapolis with biking and walking trails, to the Soo Line Community Garden. When I arrived, there were several gardeners bustling about, tending their plants, and pulling unwanted weeds from the soil. It was the perfect day for my visit: cumulus clouds here and there gave way to a summertime sun that enlivened plants in each of the ninety plots. Rain from the night before made the air sweet and thick with the scent of basil and sage.
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View of the plots at Soo Line
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Over the last sixteen years, dedicated gardeners have helped transform the three-quarter-acre plot of tax forfeited land into the vibrant community garden that Soo Line is today. One gardener, who wore wire-rimmed glasses and a large straw sunhat, told me the land was transferred from the State of Minnesota to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board last year. The best news, she said grinning cheerfully, is that the garden now has a permanent home on the Greenway.
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| Poppies with hearts of fringe |
When it comes to describing the benefits of community gardening, no one hits the nail more squarely on the head than The American Community Garden Association. I'd encourage you to take a look at their site. Among the reasons I find community gardening appealing is that landsharing is (literally) a productive activity of a sharing-based lifestyle: gardeners share skills, space, tools, and soil, and by the growing season’s end, everyone is eating healthy, learning about growing and harvesting fruit and vegetables, and feeling more connected to their community. It’s a win-win. But I can’t speak from personal experience. Have you participated in a community garden? I’m curious. Do share.
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| Soo Line is choc full of beautiful flowers this summer |
I won’t have the opportunity to sign up for a plot at Soo Line this year (they were all snatched up in February), but I’m delighted that my beau Patrick and I have space in our backyard for a healthy-sized vegetable garden of our own. A few weeks ago, we took a trip to Mother Earth Gardens and picked out a wagon-sized load of baby plants. These are some of my faves: Curly Kale, Bright Lights Swiss Chard, Butterhead Lettuce, Ruby Perfection Cabbage (my all-time fave), and English Thyme.
I like these, too:
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| Parsley |
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| Oregano |
We’ve tossed around the idea of ripping up more lawn, expanding our garden, and inviting community members to share our dirt. If we did, would you come garden with us? I’ve been perusing some great tips offered by Gardening Matters, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and preserving community gardening across the Twin Cities, for how to start a community garden. It may be a little too late this season, but it's never too early to start planning. By the by, if you’re on the hunt for a space where you can put your green thumb to work, Gardening Matters also has a community garden directory. Be sure to check it out here.
Thanks for reading my first post on encommon! You can learn more about the project here. Be well, keep in touch, and stay tuned for more...
