Is it time for a community garden in Malvern?
With inflation, the rise in gas prices, the war in Ukraine and supply chain issues affecting global food supplies, it may be time for Malvern to consider a community garden project.
President Joe Biden has predicted food shortages, saying “It’s going to be real.” While the US is unlikely to be hit the hardest, families in economically depressed areas may take the brunt of the shortages here in the states.
I believe that Malvern needs to take the idea of a community garden seriously and work to implement one in the coming months or years. Even in times of plenty, a community garden project has many benefits.
It will help to feed those in need in the area, teach participants valuable skills while building character as well as foster a sense of community and togetherness. It presents a great opportunity for local organizations to get involved, such as a local gardening club and perhaps even the Malvern High School agriculture class can take part. A portion of the produce can be taken to the farmer’s market or to a local soup kitchen and any money earned can be spent on the betterment of the garden.
The garden would also be a great asset to the beautification efforts of the town as it could fit into several of the objectives outlined in the document “Our Vision for the Future,” published by Hot Spring County Conversations. Objectives such as beautification and blight removal and downtown development, housing and real estate. These objectives were among the top five priorities for the people of Malvern who voted.
“By 2030, Hot Spring County will have land use and development plans that promote smart development,” the document says. One of the organization’s identified focus areas is to “Produce a beautification plan that results in an area welcoming to visitors and promotes citizens pride in their communities.”
The location for the garden can be decided by those who wish to get involved, but I have several ideas.
One of the parks in the city could be a good location. There is Centennial Park, the Malvern City Park, the Ouachita River Whitewater Park and there is even a walking park near the old junior high that might make a great spot. Another option would be to place one as close to the downtown area as possible.
When the city obtains more dilapidated homes and properties over time, these are often demolished or repurposed.
In some situations, are used for training purposes as control burned by the Malvern Fire Department. After the lot is cleared, there is not much use for them. They could easily be turned into a garden. And all that ash will even be put to good use.
“Make sure you think about irrigation before you start,” said Jenny Lanier, who manages the Will and Daisy Community Garden beside Ouachita High School. “You gotta have water, or you can’t grow anything.”
The Will and Daisy Community Garden started in the fall of 2019 and is a product of Hot Spring County Conversations. The land was donated by Philip and Donna Sharp and the garden takes its name from Will and Daisy Watson who once lived on the land.
The garden, which serves the Donaldson, Midway and Friendship areas, is home to several different plots that use varying techniques and styles of gardening. The produce of the Will and Daisy Garden is used at the school and can be harvested by the community for free. The operators of the garden only ask that those who benefit from the harvest spend about four hours per year doing labor in the garden per family. Lanier said in a video interview that they would even section off a 12 foot by 12 foot space for your family if you dedicate the time to the garden.
Lanier said that they plan to create a fruit orchard, a butterfly garden to pollinate plants and a hoop house to extend the growing season. There are currently three open plots in the raised beds section of the garden.
If you would like to help out with this garden project, they are always accepting donations of seeds, labor, fertilizer, compost and peat moss as well as volunteers. You can also help out by paying a water bill at the HSC Water Association.
“Making people take ownership in it, having meetings beforehand, getting everybody involved and having little committees,” said Lanier. “Just getting more people on the front end involved as possible would be my biggest advice.”
You can stop by the garden anytime or like the Facebook page “Will & Daisy Community Garden.”
There can be some draw backs to such a project, but these can be mitigated with the right structure and vigilance. To keep people from stealing from the garden in the city, a fence with a padlock could be installed and the garden could have set hours of operation. Conflicts of leadership and direction can be eliminated by instituting a fair governing body or set of rules for making decisions. The hours and rules of the garden should be displayed where everyone can easily see and listed online in several places.
“The desire for community gardens was expressed when gathering input for the ten year strategic plan.” said Hot Spring County Conversations via electronic message.
The garden does not have to belong to the city or be operated by an organization. It could just be a collaborative effort of concerned citizens. No matter the case, I believe the city would greatly benefit from the addition of a community garden.