Willingham Village garden growing all kinds of produce

Leaders ultimately want the garden to expand with a farmers’ market at the public housing complex.

Residents of the Willingham Village public housing community may soon have their own farmers’ market — featuring produce grown by the public housing residents off Brookwood Avenue.

The garden was established a year ago, and the number of beds planted this year is almost double the number that started a year ago. The garden has 13 different beds this year with six of those considered community beds.

Molly Majestic, director of resident services for the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority, said individuals were allowed

to sign up for their own beds but were also responsible for purchasing their own seeds and tending to the beds.

“The community beds, I’m responsible for providing those, and those are the vegetables and produce that we sell,”

Majestic said. “I notify staff and residents when a certain item is available for purchase.”

Bill Ford, one of the Willingham Village residents, said he expects the garden to grow significantly in the future and is excited about the possibility of a farmer’s market.

“She wants to set us up with some tables and a canopy, and we’ll just sell what we grow out of here,” Ford said. He estimated the garden has enough room for 15-20 more beds in the future. “We want to get more of the residents involved.”

Ford said the garden was particularly important as a learning experience for children in the public housing community.

The community beds have okra, beans, squash, tomatoes, strawberries, cabbage and herbs. Individuals are allowed to develop as many as two beds.

“Our future plans include a bee colony,” Majestic said.

Vegetables and produce are also available to the public. People interested in purchasing items may contact Majestic at 706-844-4447.

Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune Akira Kessinger (left), 9, and Billy Ford marvel at the size of the cabbage growing in the Willingham Village garden.

Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune George Wiley checks the strawberries in the Community Garden at the Willingham Village public housing development off Brookwood Avenue. A rubber snake is in the bed to keep birds from picking at the berries.