Mission
The mission of the East End Community Garden is
to grow friendships and community involvement. It is a shared approach to
community building with tangible rewards for the participants and the
community.
The East End Community Garden will give
participants the opportunity to cultivate their own garden and give back to the
surrounding community through the dedicated Faith Garden Spots. The Faith
Garden Spots will provide produce to those in need, free of charge. The goal of
this project is to provide participants with a rewarding gardening experience
and to become an integral part of the East End Community. In addition, the
project is to be a stimulus for further revitalization projects in Henderson’s
East End Community.
The East End Community Garden will have 20 plus
dedicated 42 square foot garden spots allocated to community participants. The
plots will be planted and cared for by the individual and their family. In
addition, there will be eight community access plots, known as the Faith Garden
Spots, which will be planted and cared for by all the garden participants. The
Faith Garden Spots will provide produce to anyone who needs the food free of
charge. Any excess produce grown in this area of the garden will be donated to
local shelters and food pantries.
Project Details
The East End Community Garden project is
located on a vacant lot at 1016 Washington Street. The vacant lot will be
rededicated as a community garden. The garden plots are uniquely designed to
meet the needs of the garden participants. The raised beds can be used to grow
fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs or other plants common in a garden. The East
End Community Garden is designed to bring people from the neighborhood and
residents from diverse backgrounds, together. The gardens can provide fresh
produces to those on a limited budget and to those without gardening space.
Some participants will focus on growing food for themselves while others may
focus on growing food that they will share with family and friends or donate to
help feed those in the community who are less fortunate. And at least one plot
will be reserved for a young person who would like to grow fruits and
vegetables to sell at the community Farmers Market. In addition eight garden
spots will be designed for those with special needs.
The Community Garden will also have a seating
area for the participants to rest and enjoy the area. The seating area will
also be combined with an art project that will be developed and put into place
over time.
Community Garden Plots
Each garden participant is assigned a garden
plot. The participant becomes the steward of that plot for a year. Each
participant is required to sign a participant agreement and abide by the
community garden rules, which will be adopted by the participants at the
beginning of the growing season.
Each plot has a growing area of 42 square feet.
These smaller raised beds are easily adapted and the gardener can reach the
entire garden space from the sides of the bed. The beds can be weeded and
watered from the pathways, so the garden soil is never stepped on or compacted.
There will be 20 garden spots available and assigned on a first come, first
serve basis, once the participant has signed the community garden agreement.
There will also be 8 smaller growing areas with
approximately 20 square feet of garden space. These areas will be designed to
accommodate participants with special needs.
Each participant will be asked to help maintain
the Faith Garden Spots located at the front of the garden. These plots will be
planted and maintained to provide fresh produce for those in need. There are no
restrictions on who can take the produce and is given freely to the community.
All participants should plan on spending a few
hours each week in the garden during peak growing season. During the winter the
plots may be mulched or planted with annuals, perennials or cover crops. The
garden community is expected to haul out debris and store community tools
safely away after each use. Organic gardening methods are strongly encouraged.
All participants are expected to be respectful of their fellow gardeners and to
watch out for vandalism or inappropriate harvesting.
