Christina Berkshire has considered her experience with the Olde Town Community Garden as a learning season.
“We really didn’t know what to expect,” said Berkshire, one of several Olde Town residents who’ve worked on the project at 422 Third St.
MORE: Olde Town Community Garden Is Springing Back
The former home site had been turned into a garden about five years ago as an outreach of First Presbyterian Church, but it sat dormant during 2020. Berkshire, other growers and volunteers from the church and community resurrected the site, weeding it, adding fresh soil, planting tomatoes and other produce while tending the fruit trees.
Over the Independence Day weekend, the volunteers harvested peaches and took donations for them, raising enough money in hopes of buying a solar-powered pump for the rainwater they collect.
Not only are there peach trees on the site, but there is a fig tree and a plum tree. The mockingbirds have eaten the plums this year, she said, and the figs haven’t come in yet.
Growers have planted and harvested their own crops, but Berkshire said they left the front plots open so that if anyone was hungry or in need of food, they could take the fresh items.
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Berkshire had originally wanted a garden bed to plant flowers. She lives in Olde Town and has her own garden with sunflowers that have grown over nine feet tall. Someone donated some tomato plants for the community garden, and she used the space she’d intended for flowers for the tomatoes.
They’ve been able to give those tomatoes away to people in the community.
While they haven’t had a bumper crop, they’ve learned a lot along the way; lessons that will carry over to next year. Berkshire said they may plant some fall crops.
The garden has done more than just provide fresh food; Berkshire said it’s fostered some community spirit.
The community garden was named the yard of the month in May, and it’s been a way for Berkshire and others to get to know their neighbors.
“I’ve met so many people,” she said.
Often, they stop and tell her about the neighborhood. She’s learned about the community garden as well as her own property. People tell her about the history.
“I haven’t encountered anyone with anything negative to say,” she said.
Others are interested in helping out with the garden. And volunteer are always welcomed, she said. To learn more about the garden, email her at cj.berkshire@gmail.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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