Weather may be wintry, but MVCAA looks to spring with community garden planning

"We tried (a community garden project) last year in one county," said Community Development Coordinator Cheryl Zimny, and added that the decision to expand the project to all counties MVCAA serves was made, in part, due to the economic recession.

Organizers hope to have people who are interested in participating as gardeners and people who are interested in serving on the planning group, said Zimny.

Those on the planning group will identify operational procedures, available resources, organizing equipment, what legal plants would not be welcome in the garden and "how we can make this work as smoothly, as efficiently, as possible," she said.

Anyone interested in participating in the community garden is welcome.

The aim is to "help people get nutritious food, and help people to get more green," said Zimny.

Organizers also want to "provide training for those who have never gardened," she said, and to provide information on processing foods for use later in the year, including canning and freezing methods.

Lower-income families who do not already have garden tools will be provided with hand tools, such as a hoe and a spade.

Applications to secure a garden plot for this year are available at the Family Resource Center.

The city of Marshall has provided MVCAA with access to several vacant locations suitable for gardening. Currently, organizers plan to use only three of the available locations, but more can be utilized if a sufficient number of people show interest.

Those locations are 465 W. Washington St., 362 W. Jackson St. and 416 N. Allen Avenue.

"We just want to get it started and see where it will go," Zimny said.

Planting will begin in early March, weather permitting, said Zimny.

Needed items, such as seeds and equipment, will be provided by Sygenta, MVCAA and donations from the community.

Anyone with extra yield from their crop will be urged to donate that food to the Community Food Pantry, said Zimny.

Contact Geoff Rands at marshallreporter@socket.net