Austin Texas Sunshine Community Garden

**Don Boekelheide d*@yahoo.com**

News 8 Austin, Texas
1/24/2005 5:00 AM

Garden escape in the middle of the city

By: James Keith

In the middle of Central Austin's hustle and bustle
sits the Sunshine Garden, one of the largest community
gardens in the nation. 

"A lot of people speak of the site as it having a
special atmosphere to it," president Charlotte
Jernigan said. 

Retiree Merv Klug is a regular here. His vegetables
and the peaceful surrounding keep bringing the
80-year-old back.

"It keeps me out of trouble. I guess I was just born
in the dirt and just never left it. You come out here,
forget your work and do your thing and watch plants
grow from scratch to harvest," Klug said. 

Brian and Adrana Prioleau are ready to harvest their
first garden - so far with just a few growing pains.

Sunshine Community Garden

The urban community garden has more than 200 people
growing their own greens.

"Right now it's a lot of work and we're not seeing a
lot of benefit yet, we're not eating out of it yet,"
Brian said.

The Prioleau's say trying to grow herbs in an
apartment isn't practical.

"We love food and he loves to cook. We need herbs more
than anything; we want a place for more herbs because
in the apartment they don't grow," Adrana said.

They hope that the other 200 gardeners in this
five-acre plot can offer some expertise. 

"My concept is, put it the ground and see if it
grows," Klug said. 

If nothing else, learn to have fun in the atmosphere. 

"I can just sit in the dirt and smile, I don't have to
really do anything, and often I don't," gardener Laura
Freeman said.

For more information

Sunshine Community Garden offers 20x20 plots of land
for $80 per year. Call (512) 347-7969 or go online if
you're interested in a renting a space.

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