Volunteer Summer Keene waters a row of crops on Thursday afternoon in the Winlock Community Garden.
Dr. Alicia Spalding works in the Winlock Community Garden.
The Winlock Community Garden on Thursday afternoon.
The garden manual guides and some of the seeds that are included in the at-home gardening kits.
Volunteers working in the Winlock Community Garden on Thursday afternoon.
The at-home “garden starter kits.”
Dr. Alicia Spalding talks about the future of the Winlock Community Garden.
Hard-working volunteers could be found tilling the soil, planting and watering the plants in the Winlock Community Garden from Thursday morning into the afternoon. Thanks to their efforts, the garden has tripled in size since last year.
Dr. Alcia Spalding, a Winlock High School alumni and the CEO of Nature Nurture Farmacy, the nonprofit organization that is leading the efforts in tending to the garden, was accompanied by nine volunteers. Spalding said that last year the garden yielded an abundance of produce for the community, and the extra food was donated to a food bank.
“Last year we put so much effort into (the garden) and everything we planted grew. We gave away hundreds of pounds of food last year, everything from blueberries to tomatoes to zucchini. Our hope this year is the same idea to have harvest nights like once or twice a week, let that food go to the people that pick it, and then whatever is left donate it to the food bank,” said Spalding.
Nature Nurture Farmacy is also putting together and giving out “garden starter kits” for families to take home, which includes soil, seeds for planting, and a packet of information to help guide those who don’t have gardening experience. The gardening kits have been donated to various organizations including the Chehalis Boys and Girls Club and the Salvation Army.
“Last year we had over 50 people (volunteering in the community garden) on a Tuesday and because we can’t gather like that right now we sent the gardening kits home with people so they can garden at home,” said Spalding.
The Winlock Community Garden is planting everything they can, including beans, onions, tomatoes, peas, corn, squash, turnips, radishes, lettuce, berries, flowers, lavender, and various herbs. The garden also has an orchard section of fruit trees — apples and pears — which were donated last year.
Spalding said that the garden not only provides fresh organic foods for the community, but it is a place for the community to connect and for children to learn about gardening, hard work and patience.
“We’re really trying to educate people about resilience and taking care of yourself. It’s a hard time for people right now. I want people to know that there is support and we have a strong community. A lot of people have so many skills, it’s unreal, so it’s kind of finding those people and putting them together,” said Spalding.
Two sixth-graders, Storm Keene and Isabella Barnett, were among the volunteers and they agreed that it was nice to get outside because they are often bored at home since the school closure.
The garden has improved due to the donations from local farmers including a drip irrigation system donated by Burke Demming of Olequa Farms in Winlock, fruit trees, composted soil and manure, Toledo lavender plants and wisdom from experienced gardeners.
A local farmer volunteered his time and hauled his equipment to the Winlock Community Garden and tilled a few plots for planting — one of which is 100 feet by 40 feet.
“I’m a doctor by trade, but I’m a naturopathic doctor so we believe food is medicine. So I’ve grown medicinal herbs but I’ve never done production gardening or row cropping. I’m a novice farmer and I’ve been learning a lot from experienced gardeners who come to volunteer,” said Spalding.
The land the garden is on is owned by the Winlock School District and Nature Nurture Farmacy is running the garden. Spaling said that the garden is a three-year project for her nonprofit and her hope is that after the garden is set up for success she can turn it over to the community and start on another community garden in another location in Lewis County. This is the garden’s second year.
“The whole point of this is it is a community garden so people offer what they have and people have been so generous. We pay for what we can, which supports the local economy and putting money back into this community,” said Spalding.
The gardening day at the Winlock Community Garden is scheduled for Monday, May 11. More information on the community garden and upcoming harvest days can be found on their Facebook page at Winlock Community Garden.
