Community Garden Open for Business on Earth Day
Last updated 5/6/2019 at 9:28am
It was a warm, clear and gorgeous Borrego morning on April 22, Earth Day. As clouds moved in from the mountains in the early afternoon, a light sprinkling fell just as local grandmother and her two grandsons planted their squash and zucchini seeds in the ArtFarm's Community Garden, located directly behind the Borrego Art Institute.
The rain drops must have been a good luck sign from above for Ana, Alton and Christopher as they claimed the first Community Garden bed complete with a fence around it, markers for their vegetables and their names posted proudly on an attached sign. Soon to follow were two more residents claiming beds to grow their own as well as a nutrition class from Borrego Springs High School who plans to grow and cook nutritious foods.
So marks an exciting step in the "growing" of art in our community under the Borrego Art Institute's 501(c)3 status as a not for profit organization: Kesling's Kitchen's culinary arts, KidsArt, Pottery Art, BAI's fine arts and ArtFarm's fruits and vegetables, beautifully and artfully growing for all to view and appreciate. Often, the produce from the ArtFarm's garden beds is served fresh on Kesling's Kitchen Menu.
ArtFarm Director, Wade Beane, is delighted with the progress of the ArtFarm and in spite of some pesky rodents, which he is handling humanely and creatively, he thrills at the possibility for local residents with no space at home for a garden to experience the wonder and the health benefits of growing, harvesting and eating fresh produce.
Drive down Sunset Road off Christmas Circle, and you might be surprised to see a small orchard of young, healthy, green fruit trees and nearby various above-ground and in-ground garden beds, some spilling over with bountiful carrots, squashes, corn, herbs and more.
Feel free to stop by and check things out and if Wade is there, he just might invite you to pull up a fresh carrot or take home a zucchini the size of a new born baby!
Community Gardens are about growing your own food and so much more. As Wade worked with local resident, Harold, with his choice of seeds and the location of his Community Garden bed, each was learning to communicate in a different language.
Harold is Deaf and speaks ASL (American Sign Language). Wade does not. They communicated through the universal language of soil, water, plants and nature. It was amazing to see how well they "spoke" and how quickly Harold's garden bed was planted, watered and ready to go.
Both Harold and Wade now have a friend they didn't have before, although they live in the same town. The ArtFarm is artfully growing vegetables and growing friendships at the same time. There are a few Community Garden beds still available for a six-month "rental" for only $15. Included in this nominal fee are tools, seeds, water, amended soil, plant markers and Wade's expertise.
If interested, simply stop by the ArtFarm when you see Wade there or call 760-607-9419 (English) or 619-948-5900 (Spanish).
