The Peterborough region planted it's 45th community garden this season!
The Talwood Community garden, started in late June brought together supporters and neighbours, and reaped many fruitfull harvests. A group of 20+ families and individuals who live in the Talwood area came together to plant 24 allotment plots where they were able to grow their own food. The garden group is comprised of a diversity community members including several Syrian newcomer families. Partnerships built with the New Canadian Centre has allowed us to provide garden invites and updates in both Arabic and English as well as to have an interpreter at our meetings to facilitate the inclusion of the voices of all gardeners equally.
Thanks to the kind support of community partnerships a shed filled with tools was donated by the local community and delivered by Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre was set-up alongside a donated water tank before the garden itself was even ploughed!
The City of Peterborough prepped the garden site and the group quickly got to work planting seedlings donated by our Nourish partnership with TASS Horticultural Program, seeds donated through other community gardens were shared amongst gardeners and a community began to grow around the garden.
As the season progressed, and the garden grew quickly. At our September community garden meeting, the gardeners were asked: "What they liked most about being a part of the community garden?"
Some of the responses included:
-" It was nice meeting with the neighbourhood, and to eat from what we were farming"
-"Therapeutic, great exercise, loved meeting the other gardeners, enjoy the fruits of my labour, and sharing"
- "Loved the way everyone helped each other garden"
-"Something for to me to learn about and get me out to talk to others"
- "Just being able to play in the dirt. It's been great!"
- "Great to play and socialize"
-"Having a garden fights mental health illnesses like depression and helps kids with autism stay social"
- "My wife loves to garden, and I love to eat the fruits of her labour"
Due to increased demand, the Talwood Community Garden has been given approval by the City of Peterborough to add 12 new plots to the garden in the 2018 season. We have also partnered with GreenUP to plant two fruit trees and a large pollinator garden at the garden site this fall. Stay tuned to watch this garden and community grow!
Community Garden an Oasis for Syrian Refugees in Peterborough - Examiner Article
