March is typically a schizophrenic month, and this season is no exception. Last week, a small group of us met at Park Place Health Care Center to take a look at the possible garden sites, and this week the entire region is blanketed in snow. Oh well, we need to moisture and it's only temporary. (The photo is from a local one greenhouse with a snow drift from the latest storm.)
In the meantime, our progress on our first gardens continues. Park Place is generously allowing us to use an area past their parking lot where we can have up to a dozen plots measuring 20-ft x 30-ft, which will give a family of four enough space to keep themselves in veggies (with some to share) throughout the season. Now we're waiting for the weather to cooperate long enough to till and prepare it for the first seeds and plants of the year.
Park Place is the first in our overall vision of creating neighborhood gardens throughout Great Falls to give individuals and families a place to grow their own fruits and veggies. Ultimately, we would like to have gardens situated throughout the city and out-lying areas where folks can be close to their plots and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded people. We're also planning on planting crops specifically for the food bank and similar charitable organizations to spread the enjoyment of fresh, locally grown food.
Plots are $25 for the entire season (including water). We still have a few available, so contact us at rivercityharvest@yahoo.com if you're interested in joining in the fun. You can also email us to be on the list to receive notifications of events and gardening classes that will be held throughout the year. In the meantime, keep checking in to see what's happening in the garden.
