Community Garden Sprouts

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Published on Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:25

It's just a few seedlings now, but for Monica Dix they represent the realization of a dream to develop a community garden in the town of Ave Maria. Several dozen residents turned out Monday evening to begin planting the garden in three raised beds located next to the Canizaro Library on land donated by Ave Maria University.

Mrs. Dix (right with her daughter Josie) and her husband, Daniel, who own The Bean of Ave Maria, have been working for more than a year to start a community garden. They explored a number of potential sites but everything came together, she said, "when Tom Monaghan got excited about it."

"He heard about it, met with us, and wanted to put it by the library," Mrs. Dix said. Mr. Monaghan asked a horticulturalist who has worked on many of his projects, Rob McCartney, to help plan the garden along with the university's head of physical plant and security, T.R. Minick.

The garden now is staked out to a size of 80 by 50 feet, and three beds are being planted. Eventually, Mrs. Dix said, the garden will have a total of 25 beds -- 11 of them measuring 8x9 feet and 14 3x8 feet. Having it on land near the university buidings also provides water easily.

Summer is not the ideal time growing season in Florida, Mrs. Dix explained, so the first plants are mainly herbs and flowers that will do well at this time of year. Participants in the garden will start seedlings for vegetables later this summer and will plant peppers, tomators, cucumbers, squash and other crops in the fall. Almost everyone wants to grow organic produce, she said, so that's how they're going to proceed. "Conveitional produce is available inexpensively at the Immokalee Farmers Market," she said, "so people really wanted to make this organic."

The community garden offers an opportunity to many who had gardens before coming to Ave Maria. She has a mailing list of more than 120 people who are interested, including university students as well as residents.

Monday evening, residents and students enjoyed themselves as they began planting the beds. Fr. Robert Tatman, the parish administrator, blessed the garden and the first herbs were put in the ground.

"The social aspect is definitely a part of it," Mrs. Dix said.

Anyone in the town is welcome to participate. Gardeners are asked for a donation of $30 to help purchase plands, seeds and materials for the beds.

"Gardens like this are growing more popular," Mrs. Dix said. "There's even one being started at the White House."