Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Previously unused green space at Napanee’s Rotary Park is being transformed into a community edible garden.
The project, which is led by Rotary president Nicole Butler, saw wooden garden boxes constructed on the grass just right of the Napanee branch of the Lennox and Addington Library. A trio of pear trees has also been planted as well. Volunteers will put the finishing touches on the beds this fall with a plan to start planting vegetables, herbs and raspberries next spring.
“There’s a lot of food insecurity happening in Napanee and I don’t think a lot of people know about it,” said Butler. “My personal belief is that food is a right and not a privilege. That’s why I wanted to do this edible garden so that people could see how easy it is to plant and grow your own food. One tomato plant, if it’s well cared for, can yield 30 pounds of tomatoes. That’s a whole lot of food.”
On Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. members of the public are invited to help paint the boxes to help get them ready for next year’s growing season.There will also be live music with Steve Tanner and people are encouraged to bring an instrument for a jam session. Those in attendance are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.
When the crops are ready next harvest season, they’ll be available to anyone who wants to pluck a few vegetables from the garden for whatever reason.
“It’s about food sustainability and giving people access to fresh food,” said Butler. “We will harvest if there’s food left over, but it’s for the community.”
Butler says the project aims to provide fresh, healthy food for the community while also encouraging others to grow their own edible garden.’
“It’s very, very difficult for you to be a contributing member of society when all you’re thinking about where your next meal is coming from,” said Butler. “Even if you’re sitting down to a lovely meal that somebody’s given you or that you’ve made yourself and you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, you’re still thinking about that. I just feel that wouldn’t it just be lovely if we don’t have to think about where our food is coming from and what people could accomplish if that fear and worry was completely taken away.”
Butler is also encouraging canning experts to contact the Rotary Club to host presentations on how to preserve vegetables to make them last through the winter.
Anyone looking to help with the garden project or is a canning expert interested in teaching others can contact the Napanee Rotary Club through their Facebook page.