The goal of the Oneida PAR campaign is to supply as much fresh produce as possible to local affiliates of the Food Bank of Central NY. To achieve this goal two strategies will be pursued in 2009. First, in partnership with St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, a vegetable garden dedicated to supplying produce to the food bank will be grown on church property. Secondly, home gardeners will be asked to participate by growing an extra row of something to donate to the food bank.
Garden space at St. Paul’s is available to individual volunteers and service organizations that wish to grow vegetables for the food bank. For more details, contact Fred Henson at 363-3844 or Candy Crayton at 350-3754. In order to ensure that adequate ground is plowed and prepared it is important to call by May first. A garden dedication will take place at 10 a.m. May 23 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Volunteers who wish to grow an extra row at home are encouraged to attend in order to receive a starter kit including information on how to donate produce, how to deduct the value of donations from income tax, and a free packet of seeds courtesy of Madison County Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Vienna Community Garden Project
At the regular meeting held on April 1 at the town hall in Vienna, Councilman Rick Leos commended all the volunteers working to make the Community Garden Project a success. He especially wanted to thank Mike Dixon for his hard work and for donating trees to the project. Also he said Bo Shapley donated his time and equipment to saw the trees into planks to be used for plant beds and a shed.
Darlene Dixon said there will be 12 beds this year, the original plan was for 30 beds, however the quantity of soil and wood required made that number prohibitive. The reason for the raised bed is the poor quality of the soil at the location chosen for of the Community Garden. Plans for next year may include property donated to the project, some of which may have better soil and the addition of more raised bed at the present location.
Dixon said “This is an educational tool to teach people how to grow food efficiently and organically in their own yards.” People that don’t have a place to put a garden can come help with the community garden; the produce will be donated to the food bank. Eventually there will be classes on canning and preserving. A pictorial record of the Community Garden Project in available for viewing in the town hall.
Councilman Rick Leos proposed a lease of the property be given to the Community Garden Committee to guarantee the success of the project for years to come. Nicol Baker asked Attorney Gerald Taylor to prepare a proposal for the board’s review.
