Quincy Park, IL: Extension, Park District Hope People MakeCommunity Garden Grow

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Monday, April 3, 2006  

Extension, Park District Hope People Make Community  Garden Grow 

By David Adam 

Herald-Whig Staff Writer  
Want to grow your own flowers or fresh vegetables but don't have the space or 
 the tools?  
A community meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Redmon and Lee Center, 805 Elm, 
 will give people a chance to learn about a community garden being offered on 
 North Eighth near the Jackson-Lincoln Pool.  
The Quincy Park District, the city of Quincy and the University of Illinois  
Extension have partnered to offer the garden, which is open to anyone who 
would  like to reserve and maintain a plot. People are encouraged to share ideas 
and  reserve a plot at Thursday's meeting.  
"The obvious people who would be interested in something like this are people 
 who live in apartments," said Carrie Edgar, county director with the 
University  of Illinois Extension Adams/Brown Unit. "There might be some senior 
citizens who  used to be gardeners who want to try again. There may be people who 
don't have  the equipment to get started.  
"We're going to start on a small scale, but I hope we eventually have little  
gardens throughout Quincy."  
Edgar said that 70 of 400 people who took a community survey last fall by the 
 Quincy Park District showed an interest in a community garden. She mentioned 
the  success of a similar program in Galesburg, which recently started two 
community  gardens and now has a waiting list for both and is considering a 
third site.  
Plans for the first Quincy site call for between 12 and 14 plots that are 15  
feet by 20 feet.  
"Not everybody is going to want a full plot," Edgar said. "Some people just  
want to grow a couple of tomato plants."  
The garden will provide opportunities to meet with others interested in  
gardening. It also will be used as an outdoor teaching and learning area with a  
demonstration garden and composting facilities. The park district, Extension  
staff and Adams/Brown Master Gardeners will be on hand throughout the garden  
season to assist and offer advice.  
"Some people will have never tried it before. Gardening can be a daunting  
task," Edgar said.  
Participation is free. The plots will be tilled and prepared to plant.  
Participants can plant and grow whatever they like, harvest it and take it home  or 
share it with others. Participants are responsible for the maintenance of  
their garden during the growing season and cleaning it out at the end of the  
season.  
Edgar says she hopes plants and seeds will be donated, and tools for digging, 
 planting and weeding will be available.  
"This will give people a chance to get out and know their neighbors," she  
said.  
For more information, attend Thursday's meeting or call Edgar at 223-8380 or  
Shelby Schoonover with the park district at 223-7703.  
Contact News Coordinator David Adam at dadam@whig.com or (217)  221-3376

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