I studied, attended classes, and became a Master Gardener. A long term goal accomplished.Our extension service advisor encouraged Robeson County Master Gardener Volunteers to educate, inform and encourage citizen participation in growing flowering plants for all pollinators. From this I have become more aware of my seed sources and have begun seed collecting more seriously.
I attempted to help revive a failing faith based community garden in our town. My vision for small gardens in neighborhoods that are accessible to all continues to be just that. Having tried more than once here it is perhaps not meant to be. Lucy Bradley's book, Collard Greens and Common Ground, warns that a community garden must be a community effort and most fail, despite the best of intentions, within three years. Using her criteria, L'ton's has failed. Sadly, that failed garden is used as a reason not to have a different one using a different model. Bradley's book is available online for free at: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/collard-greens-and-common-ground-a-north-carolina-community-food-gardening-handbook. Google the title and it appears first on the list. It's an easy read, less than 100 pages. She's good.
We participate in another community garden in St Pauls, NC and it too may be about to fail. A different model entirely, one of the key players moved away. I actually think the model is a good one. Based on community and school cooperation, built on school property with city funding, it was a learning lab for students and a garden for the community. It worked for a time and I'm hoping the new teacher will land on his/her feet and initiate this spring. Time will tell. Of course, I will reach out.
I learned this year, I grew this year, I succeeded this year, I failed this year, I continue to plan for the future just like every other year of my adult life and gardening is part of it. Altogether? 2017 was a good year.
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| Bloom where you are planted. |
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