January, 2010 – Community Vegetable Garden

In early Sept. 2009, the local Elks Lodge decided to apply for a $500 Community Involvement grant.  The Wellington Garden Club agreed to provide expertise and support via its Master Gardeners and newly formed Wellington High School Junior Garden Club.

Members of the Junior Garden Club, a parent, a WGC Master Gardener and a volunteer vegetable garden expert/member of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church attended a Community Vegetable Garden all day seminar on Sept. 19 given by experts chosen by the local Extension Service and given at the Mounts Botanical Garden in WPB. One of the speakers who is very knowledgeable on organic gardening agreed to give us his advice as needed.

Upon learning that the request for funding had been granted, a 30′ x 40′ raised bed vegetable garden was installed by the Elks on their property.  Families living in the Westgate Village Habitat for Humanity complex, nearby the gardens were asked to participate as well as a family from Holy Spirit.
And the following businesses contributed to the garden as well:  Builtx, Inc.  loaned  the dump trucks which picked up 3 large loads of compost donated by the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Ace Hardware of Port St. Lucie and our volunteer vegetable garden expert donated all the seed,  and the Ice Cream Club of Boynton Beach, FL provided “dessert” to the families who did the planting.  Elks members donated various herbs for harvesting by the families and the cooks at the Elks.

As of Jan. 15th, our garden is flourishing, Jack Frost not withstanding, with green beans, spinach, collard greens and lettuce being harvested and only a few weeks to go until our tomatoes and squash will be ready.  As a special treat the children who planted attended a Holiday Brunch with Santa given by the Elks Lodge #1352.

The above picture shows Barbara Hadsell, Wellington Garden Club President and Master Gardener picking green beans with the Stone family from the Westgate Habitat for Humanity Village on Jan. 16, 2010.