Not In My Back Yard? An Ode to Community Gardens - theHumm January 2022
Not In My Back Yard? An Ode to Community Gardens - theHumm January 2022
By David Hinks
A community garden for every neighbourhood? There are many reasons why folks are turning their thoughts towards growing a few potatoes and carrots: global supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, organic food untainted by chemicals, local food insecurity, just looking for a healthy outdoor activity, higher costs in the grocery store, more time on our hands for home projects, and the need to find something healthy for the kids to do are only a few!
So why grow food in a community garden instead of your own back yard? Well, some of us live in an apartment or condo, or know absolutely nothing about gardening and want to work and learn alongside experienced folk.
Community gardens can take many forms; most often there are individual plots, ranging from 50 to 1000 square feet, that are assigned to individual gardeners; many have a communal area where veggies are grown for a social purpose such as a food bank; and many are a combination of both types. While growing veggies in our own private spaces is great, growing food together in public spaces has the additional benefit of building a sense of community. It can eliminate some of the loneliness and isolation that feature prominently in our society — particularly in a time of ongoing pandemic. Growing food together in a community space is a very powerful way to bring people of all generations and abilities together with the benefit of producing healthy nutritious food.
If you are trying to locate an existing community garden, check with the usual suspects — your municipal government, your local Horticultural Society, the local Master Gardener group, or even local Facebook groups. In Ottawa, I recommend starting with Just Food justfood.ca ; in Almonte with Carebridge Community Support carebridge.ca ; in Carleton Place with Carleton Place Community Garden (on Facebook); in Smiths Falls with the Rideau Environmental Action League realaction.ca ; and in Perth with The Table thetablecfc.org . Unfortunately demand has outstripped supply, and in many cases there are waiting lists.
Where do you turn if you want to bring a bunch of folks together to start a new community garden? Just Food, an umbrella group for Ottawa community gardens, has a wealth of resource material on starting a community garden. All of the organizations mentioned above are worth talking to as well.
So why don’t we have a community garden in every neighbourhood? It seems a bit of a no-brainer to create a garden in the little park just down the street. After all, it seems that many parks are little more than a flat piece of grass and a play structure. Unfortunately, there are often a lot of hurdles in the way. Resource-strapped park-maintenance folks tend to resist any change that is going to make their life more complicated — increases in liability, complaints by neighbours and more costly maintenance are important factors.
I remember doing a workshop several years ago with a gardening group in west-end Ottawa that was one of the first to obtain permission to create a garden in a city park. Nervous city bureaucrats had created a long list of rules such as no plants over two feet tall and no straw for mulching. It seems that their fevered imaginations had conjured up myriad ways that teenagers could misbehave in a vegetable garden. There are now more sensible rules, but the costs of complying with soil tests and construction standards can be quite daunting.
Not every location is suitable. Access to water to irrigate the garden may be very costly. There may be opposition from neighbours who believe that veggie gardens can be a bit of an eyesore and take over spaces for which they have a competing vision.
So where are you going to go to start your community garden? I have visited a lot of successful community gardens, and some not-so-successful ones, and have led the charge in trying to create new gardens or to expand existing ones and have not found any magic recipe for success.
How about a faith community? Some of the more successful long-term community gardens that I have visited have been on the grounds of a church. Long-term commitment and a more formal governance structure appear to favour stability.
How about a food bank? This has been a much more viable proposal in the last couple of years. Government pandemic relief measures have resulted in more funds being available to start a garden, and more volunteers have been stepping up to help with food bank initiatives. If a chunk of land and gardening expertise can be found, very motivated folks can grow tons of food.
How about a social agency such as a not-for-profit housing corporation? How about a landowner who is willing to donate a small acreage for a community garden? How about a school or Youth Centre? With schools there is the problem of no one being around in the summer to water and weed the garden. A solution could be a partnership with a Youth Centre that is running summer camps.
When a community garden is well planned, well-constructed, well maintained and has the support of a community, however that is defined, the results are astounding. I have experienced many moments in community gardens that have touched me deeply. People develop strong bonds and care deeply for their neighbours and their community. Gardeners show off their carefully tended spaces with pride, and are happy to share knowledge and a few fresh veggies.
Jack Stekelenburg — “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood?” - theHumm January 2022
By Sally Hansen
Art… and Soul
Ten years ago I wrote that “Renfrew metal sculptor Jack Stekelenburg enjoys challenging our preconceptions of art. Following in the footsteps of his philosophical and artistic mentors, he creates art as an unconscious, unscripted, wordless act of emotional expression. He also plays and experiments and grows as an artist.”
Sixteen years ago the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau inspired a construction worker from Renfre......
Pop, Pivots & Pirouettes Folkus presents The Pairs & Tragedy Ann,In-Person and Virtually! - theHumm January 2022
By Sandy Irvin
With excitement and joy, Folkus planned their 20th season this fall. We’re still hoping for joy, and we’re pivoting and pirouetting and taking all the precautions we can to ensure a safe and beautiful evening together. We really wanted to put Tragedy Ann and The Pairs on our stage because they absolutely love to sing, and they bring a delightful energy to the stage.
One of the things we really miss is gathering together. But some of us still aren’t ready to. And that’s ok. To make sure that peo......
** CANCELLED ** The Snow Moon Festival - theHumm January 2022
By Kris Riendeau
From the organizers of the Snow Moon Festival: "Unfortunately, after much discussion, we've made the difficult decision to postpone the festival to (February 4) 2023."
One thing is certain in these uncertain times — creativity is alive and flourishing in our area! Local venues have expanded patios, poured out into parking spaces, and even used hula hoops to socially-distance audience members keen to keep on experiencing the joys of live performances. Now that winter is upo......
Meet the Artist —Mireille Asselin, Soprano - theHumm January 2022
Internationally acclaimed soprano and Almonte resident Mireille Asselin returned home briefly after performing the role of Amore in the Vancouver Opera’s production of Glück’s Orfeo ed Euridice, before setting off again to perform as a soloist in Handel’s masterpiece Messiah with the Rhode Island Symphony Orchestra. Mireille will be performing with pianist Frédéric Lacroix and violinist/violist Brenna Hardy-Kavanagh on January 16 at the Almonte Old Town Hall, in a ......
Bane of All Things — a Début Novel - theHumm January 2022
By John Pigeau
Growing up, Leo Valiquette was fond of fantastical stories. The Star Wars saga, Tolkien’s Middle Earth books, and classics like Charlotte’s Web — these were the made-up worlds Leo liked to inhabit. Later, in high school, he liked to make up stories and was admittedly “a Dungeon & Dragons nerd.” At some point, he fashioned himself a decent writer, too. Now, many years on, he has realized a lifelong dream and published his first novel, an epic fantasy called Bane ......
Carleton Place Library Reopens to the Public - theHumm January 2022
After a year-long renovation, the Carleton Place Public Library is open to the public again!
The updated interior features new meeting rooms, a laptop bar, new shelving and flooring throughout, energy-saving LED lighting, and fun reading cubbies for kids.
“The new interior is vibrant, accessible and welcoming,” explains library CEO Meriah Caswell. “We are thrilled to be able to welcome the community back to their library and want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding during......
Almonte Lectures - theHumm January 2022
By Glenda Jones
Resolved: that the winter of 2022 will continue to provide interesting events.
Almonte Lectures almontelectures.net continues to live up to that resolution. The live-streamed editions held on the last Friday evening of each month have proven very popular, with up to one hundred participants tuning in every session.
The winter series will kick off on January 28 with Kris Riendeau’s presentation on the history and value of community theatre. Well-known as the editor of theHumm, Kris has been on the stage at the Almont......
A New Year: Determined Action! Lanark County Creates Its Climate Action Plan - theHumm January 2022
By Chandler Swain
Ahhh, good old January. Our time-honoured month to make clear, focused goals. It’s very common to do this on a personal basis, wanting to improve our health and wellbeing and initiate or complete projects and plans. But the wider view of this concept includes setting goals for our community: most specifically in this very challenging time, those that address the Climate Crisis.
We are all aware of the crisis that is looming if we don’t take the steps necessary to make our county — Lanark Count......
Birdhouse Bonanza 2022 - theHumm January 2022
By Glenda Jones and Barb Carroll
Good news! The second annual online birdhouse auction, code name Birdhouse Bonanza, is coming in the last two weeks of April, 2022. This year’s proceeds will go to the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust mmlt.ca to enable them to continue improving the High Lonesome Nature Reserve off Carbine Road in Pakenham. It is fitting that the MMLT is dedicating this event to the memory of the late Michael Macpherson who loved High Lonesome and worked diligently to protect this site during his lifetime.
The improvements at High Lonesome will include:
......
Not In My Back Yard? An Ode to Community Gardens - theHumm January 2022
By David Hinks
A community garden for every neighbourhood? There are many reasons why folks are turning their thoughts towards growing a few potatoes and carrots: global supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, organic food untainted by chemicals, local food insecurity, just looking for a healthy outdoor activity, higher costs in the grocery store, more time on our hands for home projects, and the need to find something healthy for the kids to do are only a few!
So why grow food in a community ......
Mary Berry Comes to Carroll Side Road - theHumm January 2022
By Glenda Jones
Mary Berry, that paragon of pastry and smiling tourist guide, has chosen to visit our humble home for an upcoming “Notflix” series. It’s a little intimidating to think we’ll be up there with the Downton Abbey castle, but hey, this is our castle, so I’m sure I can haul out the stops to make her stay the epitome of elegance and social grace.
She arrived last Friday as it began to snow. Her limo pulled up and TV crews, cameras, cables and lights were everywhere as the three dogs exploded out the d......
Arts CP Call for Artists - theHumm January 2022
Arts Carleton Place is looking for between 40 and 55 talented artists for their spring Fine Art Show & Sale. Taking place at the Carleton Place Arena from April 30 to May 1, this year’s show ......
Virtual Caregiver Training - theHumm January 2022
A free five-week virtual Practical Caregiver Training Course is being offered to people living in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Counties. The goal is to make the caregiving experience safer and les......
Apr 27 Festival of the Maples
Apr 27 The Moth Project
May 4 - 5 Spring Fine Art Show
May 4 - 5 Spring Fine Art Show
May 4 Outskirts
May 5 Music at Mera: The Andrew Collins Trio
May 9 Family Paint Party: Paint Nite
May 11 - 12 Art in the Attic
- IS THIS A PROTEST?
- A Classic Whodunnit Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee at Studio Theatre
- Readers, Writers, and Poets
- Celebrate Indigenous Culture in CP
- Celebrate the ClassicsWith the Arnprior Choir
- 4F Auction Concoction Food, Fun, Fashion & Favourites
- Cheerfully Made Spring Market
- Electrify to Decarbonize Lanark
- Volunteer Forum
- Frankenstein Comes to The Station Theatre
