Oak Street Community Garden

Contact: Cathie Wier 385-3581 or cathiew@eusers.com

Roger and Cameron McPherson have made a lot available for the Oak St. Garden. Cameon writes:

After seven years of wondering what to do with the property below our home on Oak Street, Liesl Slaybaugh's interest in a community garden propelled us into doing something with the property.  The 40 years of blackberries covering the 80 by 80 foot parcel had always defeated my imagination on how to clear it. After about ten people indicated an interest in the project, Jens and Karle Coppenroth donated their two goats, and for the next two months Oreo and Choco munched away to the delight of children and neighbors.  But goats don't eat the blackberry crowns, only the green stuff.  So after the goats returned home, the members of the garden spent many hours digging out the crowns and then laying out the beds.  After four months of goats and digging, we were ready, at last, to plant something.  

The ability to take a small piece of residential land and make it productive in a basic and sustainable way was an important aspect of starting this garden.  The community garden concept was appealing to us because it brings members from surrounding neighborhoods together in a productive project that uses the skills and creativity and energy of everyone involved.