Community Garden completion should be ready for this gardening season
Share
Tweet
Steve Edwards
A pile of donated lumber waits on the site where Chinook High's FFA members will build a community garden. The garden will consist of 26 raised beds on the east side of Illinois Street on the vacant lot just across from the CHS gym. FFA advisor Robin Allen said she hopes the garden will be completed by May 1.
If plans by the Chinook High Future Farmers chapter (FFA) work out, a community garden should be ready for this year's gardening season. CHS Vo-ag teacher Robin Allen said the garden spot, across Illinois street to the east of the high school, will have 26 raised beds, each 12 feet by 12 feet. There'll be a common shed for storing hand tools and water will be available. The FFA members plan to have plots available by May 1. A garden plot can be rented for $15 per season and garden season will run roughly May through October.
The community garden takes shape
Allen said, "The idea came about during the chapter officers retreat last summer. We were discussing some ways we could give back to the community and the idea for a garden came up. The vacant lot across Illinois Street from our shop area seemed a natural site." At a recent school board meeting the chapter received final approval to proceed with the project and use the lot owned by the school system.
A grant application was written for funding from the FFA Foundation (some of the foundation funds come from the 'Bulls for Blue' program where the proceeds from selling a particular bull go to the foundation). The grant application described the proposed community project, its goals, costs and how the work would proceed. The CHS chapter received $4500 to help fund the garden project.
Additional community support came quickly. A likely source of top soil has been identified and already some lumber for the raised beds has been donated. FFA advisor Allen said, "We will likely need more lumber and other supplies. We used part of the grant for materials to build the shed that will be at the garden site." There will be a cypher lock on the shed with a code given to people who rent a plot. Allen added that plans called for the availability of basic hand tools in the shed, noting, "Some folks might not have space to keep tools where they live, it will be important to have the basic tools at the garden site."
Construction of the shed is progressing in the shop at the high school. Four girls from an Ag Construction class have been working on the shed and have it basically framed. Allen said the shed should be ready to move to the site in plenty of time for gardening to begin this season.
To rent a garden plot or help with the project
Allen is hopeful that the garden plots will be ready by May 1 and gardeners can begin planting when milder weather arrives. Plots will be rented on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations for plots can be made through the FFA chapter advisor at Chinook High. If you would like to financially support the project, have lumber to donate for bed construction or could donate items that might be useful (gardening tools, watering cans, etc.), contact Allen. For plot reservations or to help support the community garden, phone Robin Allen, Vo-ag teacher and FFA Advisor, at 357-2236. You can email her at allenr@chinookschools.org.
The community garden is a great idea and will be a nice service to the community. The "Journal" thanks the FFA chapter for their willingness to serve their community, the folks who have and will support the project and wishes students the best as they launch their community garden.
