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Independence, MO —
PROJECT TRACKER: Community Services League's Community Garden
The project.
In its first year, Community Services League’s community garden is on the city of Independence-owned land behind CSL, off of Noland Road on White Oak Street.
Good news.
“It’s going,” says Pat Farrell, CSL’s chief operating officer and a certified Master Gardener, laughing. Yellawood out of Buckner donated the wood for the garden’s 32 raised beds. CSL and Independence Health Department volunteers put the beds together. Grant funds paid for the garden’s dirt.
“We got the water in, we got the dirt in, we got the boxes up, we got the fence in and the lights up – and that’s really the good news,” Farrell says.
Not-so-good news.
“Obviously, it’s been really hot,” Farrell says, “so that has really curtailed the development of tomatoes and a lot of your beans. It’s really put the damper on budding, and when you can’t get good buds, you can’t get good pollination. When you don’t get good pollination, you don’t get good fruit or beans.”
A couple of growers have watered their crops well at the garden, Farrell says, resulting in some good sweet corn and pole beans.
Still, “this is not a banner year for our garden,” Farrell says.
What it means.
About half of the CSL community gardeners are CSL clients, and in ideal climate conditions, they could grow more produce for their own families. One client, who lives close by the CSL Central Headquarters at 404 N. Noland Road, is teaching her grandchildren about gardening.
“Her plants aren’t doing really well, but her grandkids are learning how to grow vegetables,” Farrell says. “I think that will pay dividends once we get into next year.”
How can I help?
People can still get involved with the community garden by calling 816-912-4493.
The future.
Habitat for Humanity donated a tool shed that CSL plans to assemble when the weather cools off. If this weather ever decides to cool down, Farrell says the opportunity for cool-season, fall crops still exists, including radishes, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
The CSL community garden is important because it helps clients understand where their food comes from and then how they can grow it, Farrell says, playing into CSL’s mission of “empowering families to move from poverty to self-sufficiency.”
“I mean, I think that’s wonderful,” he says. “A lot of times, people just don’t have the space, the area or the expertise or the practice of doing it. This gives them those skills. Once they do that, hopefully, it catches on and they want to do more.”
PROJECT TRACKER: Community Services League's Community Garden
The project.
In its first year, Community Services League’s community garden is on the city of Independence-owned land behind CSL, off of Noland Road on White Oak Street.
Good news.
“It’s going,” says Pat Farrell, CSL’s chief operating officer and a certified Master Gardener, laughing. Yellawood out of Buckner donated the wood for the garden’s 32 raised beds. CSL and Independence Health Department volunteers put the beds together. Grant funds paid for the garden’s dirt.
“We got the water in, we got the dirt in, we got the boxes up, we got the fence in and the lights up – and that’s really the good news,” Farrell says.
Not-so-good news.
“Obviously, it’s been really hot,” Farrell says, “so that has really curtailed the development of tomatoes and a lot of your beans. It’s really put the damper on budding, and when you can’t get good buds, you can’t get good pollination. When you don’t get good pollination, you don’t get good fruit or beans.”
A couple of growers have watered their crops well at the garden, Farrell says, resulting in some good sweet corn and pole beans.
Still, “this is not a banner year for our garden,” Farrell says.
What it means.
About half of the CSL community gardeners are CSL clients, and in ideal climate conditions, they could grow more produce for their own families. One client, who lives close by the CSL Central Headquarters at 404 N. Noland Road, is teaching her grandchildren about gardening.
“Her plants aren’t doing really well, but her grandkids are learning how to grow vegetables,” Farrell says. “I think that will pay dividends once we get into next year.”
How can I help?
People can still get involved with the community garden by calling 816-912-4493.
The future.
Habitat for Humanity donated a tool shed that CSL plans to assemble when the weather cools off. If this weather ever decides to cool down, Farrell says the opportunity for cool-season, fall crops still exists, including radishes, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
The CSL community garden is important because it helps clients understand where their food comes from and then how they can grow it, Farrell says, playing into CSL’s mission of “empowering families to move from poverty to self-sufficiency.”
“I mean, I think that’s wonderful,” he says. “A lot of times, people just don’t have the space, the area or the expertise or the practice of doing it. This gives them those skills. Once they do that, hopefully, it catches on and they want to do more.”
