Community Garden Fall Luncheon a Success

Editor,

I would like to thank the Saratoga Sun for covering the First Annual Saratoga Community Garden Fall luncheon. We all had fun making dishes from our produce, hosting the town employees and others that have helped us, and giving away some of the bounty we had gathered.

From my perspective, it came from a great mix of Valley people who have long contributed to improving our town, and new townspeople who brought lots of good ideas and energy.

The Community Garden, which will continue to grow into an even greater asset to our town, was made possible by a specialty crop grant from the Wyoming Department of Agriculture which funded everything from the greenhouse and tables to raspberries.

Locally, Glenn Leavengood especially provided support through the SERCD in the form of expertise, people with skills and muscles and fruit trees and junipers, laying the foundation for Jan Heinle and the first Garden Board.

Kaycee Alameda, of Voices of the Valley, was instrumental in securing the matching funds for the greenhouse from the Storer Foundation. And Kaycee and Bo’s fencing company 2 Cowboy Enterprises erected the fence. The ever-growing hard-working Schwerdt family, the Crimmins’s, Prancing Antelope and several PMPC engineers and their families then created the garden on two rocky lots donated by our Town.

We are looking forward to next spring and more gardeners, who can rent greenhouse space and/or beds in our deer-proof enclosure for an affordable fee.

There will be instruction in growing starter plants, in guerilla gardening and cooking demonstrations by local chefs.

Through the winter, the Garden Board hopes to host seminars such as: growing in greenhouses, raising honey bees, and are looking for other ideas from townspeople.

The Garden Board is currently considering a new locale for its regular meetings held the second Monday of each month, but will be convening again at Town Hall Monday, November 10th at 6 PM.

We would love to see many of you there.

Thanks,

Cindy Bloomquist,

Community Garden Board

Saratoga