Worland Community Garden: A true community effort
WORLAND - In its fourth year the Washakie County Extension Community Garden in Worland has proven to be a true community garden, providing service projects for a number of community organizations and bearing fruit to give to many community organizations and services.
June 6, 2018
WORLAND - In its fourth year the Washakie County Extension Community Garden in Worland has proven to be a true community garden, providing service projects for a number of community organizations and bearing fruit to give to many community organizations and services.
This year's garden is even bearing fruit early, thanks to "volunteer" plants that began growing early.
AmeriCorps VISTA summer associate Kelly Ferguson said last week that they harvested the first crops, all from volunteer plants, that were delivered to the Worland Senior Center.
This year's regular crop looks to be a bountiful one as well, with a variety of vegetables growing in the garden at Newell Sargent Park.
This year they have "crowd pleasers" as garden supervisor and Extension Educator Caitlin Youngquist describes them - peas, onions, garlic, beets, potatoes, carrots, squash and cucumbers. They also have some not-so-favorites including okra.
During their first youth program Thursday night, Ferguson said she will be expanding the garden and planting pumpkins and watermelon along the back fence of the garden, where there is more room for them.
AMERICORPS HELP
Youngquist said the help of an AmeriCorps VISTA summer associate the past two summers has made the difference in making the community garden a success.
"It makes a huge difference having someone who can dedicate the time to make it a success. It has allowed us to grow the program," Youngquist said. "Working with Action Resources International to host an AmeriCorps position in the community garden has allowed us to really increase both our production and the programs we offer."
Youngquist works with Action Resources International out of Laramie for the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Lina Dunning, VISTA coordinator for Action Resources said they help with recruiting and support for organizations like Extension to get VISTAS.
As an AmeriCorps VISTA summer associate, Ferguson is eligible for a small living stipend of about $1,000 per month, Dunning said. She added that at the end of the 10-week summer program, associates can either receive an educational award for education debt or future education, in the amount of about $1,200; or a cash stipend of a few hundred dollars (accrued at about $4 a day).
Dunning said the living stipend during the time an associate serves (or a member if it is for a full year), is not meant to be a lot.
"The program nationally has a goal to alleviate poverty and this program is designed so members and associates can experience what it is like to live in poverty for a short-time. The goal of the thinking is that the members would have more empathy and knowledge of what it is like to live in poverty and then be able to better serve the people they are working with," Dunning said.
Ferguson said she has chosen to accept the education award, which she will put toward her student loans.
AmeriCorps VISTA is the domestic version of the Peace Corps, Dunning said, and open to people of all ages to apply for community service projects all over the country. The summer associates sign up for 10 weeks maximum. She said many in Wyoming work in summer food service programs, providing breakfast and lunches to school-age children. They also have several sites like Worland, that are garden programs.
"The community garden in Worland is interesting and effective in that it not only has a garden area for the community but they distribute the produce to places in the community," Dunning said.
Ferguson said she had been working at the Worland law firm of Greear, Clark and King for four years but wanted something different and something outdoors. She said she was also looking for something that was community-oriented.
"I saw this position posted on the Extension Facebook page and I applied for it," Ferguson said.
Dunning said anyone interested can go to myamericorps.gov to learn about the programs and sign up. Once an account is created, the person has access to positions all over the country.
In choosing the community garden Fergusons said, "I have a great desire to learn more about gardening. I want it to be a part of my life," Ferguson said.
She added that she knew the position would provide a valuable learning experience and has already learned a lot from Youngquist and last year's AmeriCorps intern, Susan Pennington.
"But I have a lot more to learn," she added.
Ferguson said she looks at the community garden as a classroom as well. "I get to try things and see if it works.
She said they have planted cucumbers from seeds and from start-up plants to see which grows better. They also are trying some covered by plastic jugs.
Ferguson started in May and spent a lot of time "weeding and crawling around on the ground." She is becoming familiar with the plant identification and is excited to see the plants growing. She said the different volunteer plants that popped up helped with her plant identification.
Along with the small harvest last week, Ferguson said the "more mature lettuce in the garden are volunteer plants from last year's harvest.
THE COMMUNITY
In addition to the AmeriCorps intern, the community garden has help from a variety of organizations, Youngquist said. Chief Washakie FFA donated the last of their flower starters to the garden ,. They also get receive vegetable start-ups from Enchanted Gardens and Big Horn Co-op, once the businesses feel that they are at the end of the selling season.
Several organizations assist with tending to the garden including Wyoming Boys School, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Big Horn Enterprises, Worland Youth Learning Center and Washakie County Youth Alternatives.
"We are very appreciative of the support we have received from the community," Youngquist said.
Last year the community garden produced 3,000 pounds of food that was donated to the Worland food pantry, Worland Senior Center, Big Horn Enterprises and O.W.L. Unlimited, Cent$ible Nutrition for canning and other workshops and to the Lighthouse. The hope this year is for an even bigger bounty.
"The garden provides to main benefits - food for the community and education through therapeutic programs," Youngquist said.
"There are a lot of opportunities for organizations to benefit from the garden, through educational programming or community service projects.
GARDEN PROGRAMS
In addition to producing fruits and vegetables for the community, the garden also provides education and fun throughout the summer with youth programs every Thursday at the garden. Programs begin at 6:30 p.m. Youngquist and Ferguson said they will also have some adult programs throughout the summer.
While the first youth program was last Thursday, with children making garden markers and decorative garden rocks, Ferguson said she is still finalizing all of the topics for the summer. Some topics will include favorites from last year - building birdhouses, a bug hunt, plant identification, and of course, planting and harvesting. A worm composting workshop is planned for July.
"Thursday Nights in the Garden has been a big hit. We are offering it again this year, every Thursday evening at 6:30. There will be activities for children of all ages, and just a chance to come see the garden, and maybe take home some fresh vegetables or herbs," Youngquist said.
The next workshop will be tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.
The programs will run from now through Aug. 2.
The garden is open in the mornings Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.