Abundance Community Gardens

Following on the success of the raised bed vegetable gardens installed at Percy Centennial Public School last spring, Abundance Project organizers decided to approach the Warkworth Business Association and the Municipality of Trent Hills for approval to install moveable raised bed gardens along Main St. The concept is simple – bring community gardens right into the core of the village – grow vegetables where community members shop, walk and socialize.

With approvals in place and the endorsement of the WBA, a small crew of volunteers came together in early May to build the 8 raised bed units. Once built, the units were moved to a staging area to be filled with top soil and then triple mix, and finally moved to their summer locations with the assistance of the Warkworth Farm Supply forklift.

Warkworth has a number of talented organic market gardeners, and Abundance turned to one of these, Barbara Klatt for a planting plan. The individual raised beds are themed (eg. salad garden, herb garden, root garden, ‘pizza’ garden) and Barbara’s plans maximize the variety of vegetables planted in each 4’x4’ box.

Planting was done in a blaze of activity with the help Peter Brackenbury’s students from Percy Centennial PS. All five boxes in town where planted in about an hour, while the three new ones at the school where planted at a later date.

While a few of the tender plants had to be replaced following the late May heavy frost, all boxes are now looking great with seeds sprouting and tomatoes, basil and peppers established and growing.

These are the Warkworth Community Gardens. As you walk to the bank or the library stop at the planters and pull a weed or two, tie up a sagging tomato, deadhead the flowers, but most of all enjoy the produce. Pick what you need for a salad or tomato sauce. Any produce not consumed by the community will be harvested for the Seven Hills Community Food Bank.

Eat green! Eat healthy!