It’s always best to lead by example.  We’ve been encouraging community gardens for years and now we have one!  After much hoping, dreaming and planning the community garden is finally a reality.  In October, Jonathan Manning from Elgin Nursery came out to help us break ground.  We added compost and cottonseed meal to a long strip that runs along the east side of the courtyard under the windows of the JLBC building.  Recently we added compost and cottonseed meal to the soil in the 5 raised planters.

Last week we were surprised by a generous gift of AZ Sweet Vidalia onions from farmer Stella McPhee from Horny Toad Micro Farms.  She brought us several Arizona Sweet Vidalia onion sets to plant.   Yesterday Allison Giles picked up more plants compliments of Elgin Nursery and coordinated the noontime work brigade that planted everything.

This garden is for everyone, and I hope that each of you will take a few minutes to out and enjoy it.  There’ll be sessions arranged for anyone who wants to participate by planting, weeding, picking or just hanging out with others who are doing those things.  Saidee White will be organizing the activities and we’ll make sure that we give information to the Wellness team so that everyone stays informed. But you don’t have to wait for an invitation!  Go out and enjoy the beautiful weather and the beautiful space!  For those of you who don’t know, the garden is located on the east side of the 1740 building in the courtyard.