HART holds grand opening of new gardens

The Hanna Agricultural Resource Team (HART) had their first meeting to start the new growing season on April 26 at Rosie's Posies in the Hanna Shopping Center. There were over a dozen members in attendance. 

This meeting and the grand opening of their new community garden on May 7 meant community gardening was back like the daffodils which are starting to spring around town. 

At the meeting in April, the first order of business was to vote on who would be awarded the $200 scholarship offered by HART. Jolyn Borah was the recipient.

The decision was razor thin with CharlaMae Widdison the runner up. 

It was reported Hanna Elementary School students had prepared their growing bed but had not yet planted. The students  have the number one bed.

The garden moved its location from land which had been on the old elementary school to an area behind the Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School. The beds are newly constructed and a fence to keep deer out was finished in the past week.

The members discussed trellises being introduced into the garden beds. It was decided trellises will be made of white plastic lattice and would not be more than two feet tall. They can be arranged in the space according to the needs of the plants. 

Chairman Perry Goodrich will be out of state from mid-May until the end of June.

The members were pleased to learn they gained permission from HEM to install the log cabin sign back up along with two other wooden signs. Dale Freeman volunteered to reseal the log cabin sign but the other two still need volunteers to do them as well.. 

It was discussed to have a free seed library built which would have seeds, garden magazines, and a picture history of the garden.

Ellen Freeman said she would approach HEM about the agriculture class possibly building this.

The group has been allowed to have a picnic table as long as it is in good condition. E. Freeman volunteered a frame. HART would need to put new wood on the frame to complete the picnic table. 

The water tank will sit on two pillars and be bolted down. Hose safety was reviewed and the group felt it still needed a good way to use and store it. 

The meeting then focused on the grand opening May 7. The group decided to serve cookies and punch and have a ribbon cutting. They came up with an invitee list.

The group was hopeful Dr. Jim Copeland, Carbon County School District No. 2 Superintendent, would be one of the guests to cut the ribbon opening the community garden. HEM Principal Steve Priest was another person HART hoped would be present at the ribbon cutting.

The first HART summer barbeque was scheduled to for May 21 at 4:30 p.m. at the Veterans Park.

The members decided to put in the bylaws each gardener needs to put in at least 2 hours per season of labor to help keep the garden clean and moving forward. 

The meeting closed with members looking forward to the grand opening on May 7.

HART may have had good intentions for this day, but mother nature decided to make it windy, cold and rainy. 

The group persevered and moved the gathering in a nearby shop at HEM. The ribbon cutters were Copeland, Priest and Goodrich.

The ribbons were cut, but the wind and rain intensified and the gathering quickly moved back into the shelter.

Inside, Goodrich and his wife, Linda, were presented with a plaque for all their efforts in the past couple years.

"This garden would not have happened without you both," E. Freeman, vice chairman of HART said.  "We really appreciate you both for all your hard work."

Although the day was not ideal to be outside gardening, the group gathered felt the day was a success.

They listened to FFA student Cody Priest pitch his product of llama beans (llama manure) for their gardens. Cody and his sister are raising llamas as their FFA project and they are finding a way to make a business out of their llama's leftovers. According to Cody, the manure is excellent due to how well llamas digest their food. There are no seeds or other variants that might harm a garden. He had many takers for his product.

E. Freeman had a few words for the group before the event shut down.

"Our garden under the HART group is to encourage agriculture in Hanna," E. Freeman. "This brainchild of Rose Dabbs has found a home here in our town."

She said there are  four goals of HART.

The first is to promote agriculture in the town whether it be growing crops or plants for landscaping

The second is to find deer resistant plants.

"Our herd in the town eat plants what other herds do not," E. Freeman said. "We are out to find those plants they won't and then plant them throughout town to beautify Hanna. The deer can make you despondent if put in the wrong plants." 

She said the third goal is to promote the community.

"We are a growing group that are getting to be good friends who help each other in more ways than just plants," At HART we welcome any level to participate. Our barbecues are open to the community and we welcome anyone even if they don't like planting."

The last goal which is supporting the youth of the town is deemed extremely important by the group.

"This is why we encourage involvement in agriculture with scholarships," E. Freeman said. "It is not just the money to be the only motivator. As kids volunteer in the school garden and help beautify the town, we can give references. In a small town references coming from organizations are not easy to come by."

She said the HART group wants everyone to enjoy the beauty of agriculture in the town of Hanna and Carbon County, as many ways as possible.