Calling all green thumbs

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

Interested in growing your own food this summer, but don’t have a place to do it? Four Sisters Farm has 50 garden plots (12 ft x 12 ft) they will be renting out to green thumbs in the area.
Tthere is a Community Garden Growers Meeting scheduled where Four Sisters Farm will share more about their gardening initiative on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m.
There will be certain rules around the garden; you have to pick it, you have to grow it, don’t use pesticides, and you have to maintain it or Four Sisters will take it over and will give it away.
“We’re going to try and be as eco-friendly as possible,” said Paula Beekamn, owner of Four Sisters Farm.
The idea is “to get people out growing their own food because it really teaches a skill and I think it maybe draws passion from certain people. It’s about bringing people together in an agricultural setting, and growing something and feeling good about the end result.”
The plan is to also use the garden and the farm as a way to help the community. There will be an educational aspect, with schools being invited out to see how things grow, and Beekman will be growing a plot for the Wheatland Food Bank and the Community Crisis Society.
To get involved with the garden there is a $25 membership fee, a $20 refundable deposit, and the parcel is rented out for $80 per year.
“There is a $20 deposit that you get back at the end of the year because you have to clean your plot, you have to pull out your vegetables make sure whatever you put in, you take all that away, then you come and pick up your $20,” said Beekman.
“I’m going to put a shed out there with hoes and everything you need. You don’t have to bring any tools, that’s part of the $25 fee is to just develop it into something that you just come in, you grab a hoe or whatever and then you just work on your garden.”
“It brings people together … creating a sense of community,” said Monica Soltys, who will be growing flowers for sale at the farm.
“Parents, their whole family and kids can be weeding and picking and it’s an outing, I think it’s awesome.”
Anyone that grows too much of something and can’t find a use for it will have the option of selling it at market price to the farm.
Coming to Four Sisters Farm is Market 817, a flea market-style public market where local vendors will be able to sell their wares. The hope is to have the market open in time for the May long weekend. Watch here and the Four Sisters Farm Facebook page for more details.
The Community Garden Growers meeting will be held at the Strathaven Hall starting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 25.