People wanted for Othello garden

Applications accepted into February

OTHELLO — Othello Community Garden organizers are hoping for

more community participation in the next harvesting season.

Project garden organizers hope to start expanding to 42 plots of

land by early February.

OTHELLO — Othello Community Garden organizers are hoping for more community participation in the next harvesting season.

Project garden organizers hope to start expanding to 42 plots of land by early February.

The community garden was started last spring by the Washington State University (WSU) Masters Gardening Program and Othello Church of the Nazarene.

Located on 50 feet by 150 feet of land owned by the church, the goal of the garden was to encourage different ways of providing food.

“I had done some observation for about a year before the garden was created, watching people paying with (credit) cards — buy no fruits or vegetables,” said Erik Lampi, WSU Master Gardener program coordinator.

Fruits and vegetables are expensive items, added Lampi.

He decided to approach the church with the idea of a community garden after a similar program was successfully completed at George Elementary.

Last summer, Lampi and Timm Taff, a pastor at the church, connected the watering system underneath the garden, which allows for a timed and even water distribution between all of the garden plots.

A few families took advantage of the garden, said Taff.

“The maintenance is pretty easy when you come and plant in the garden. We want to spread the word out that the garden is available for the community to use,” said Lampi.

Garden organizers hope to model the Othello community garden after the one in Moses Lake, which currently has 66 plots.

“We want a bunch of different people using the garden,” said Taff.

One of the groups utilizing the community garden was juveniles on probation for minor misdemeanors like petty theft, said Taff.

“The kids were able to see the consequences of their actions, much like how it related to real life,” said Taff.

About 25 juveniles partook in the community garden, according to Laz Martinez, Detention Alternative Coordinator for Adams County Juvenile Services.

The kids donated about 200 pounds worth of food to the local food bank in the first harvesting season, according to Martinez.

The community garden is one of several incarceration alternatives the detention center offers juveniles.

“We wanted a way for the kids to feel like they had a sense of accomplishment. Like there was other ways they could fit in their probation time other than ‘we’re going to lock you and you’re worthless, so you better get out of here’,” said probation manager Jessie Dominguez.

The juvenile detention center signed on to be a juvenile detention alternatives initiative (JDAI) site in July.

JDAI is a grant-based program giving juvenile centers $50,000 the first year and $30,000 two years afterwards to invest in alternative rehabilitation solutions.

Dominguez said it costs roughly $185 to have a juvenile incarcerated per day, whereas the cost of an alternative program costs around $10 to $15 per juvenile.

But more importantly, said Dominguez, the garden seemed to have a longer lasting affect on the juveniles.

“We are roughly 85 percent Hispanic in the Othello community. A lot of our juveniles come from a farmers’ background. I was so surprised to see a kid know a certain plant was receiving too much water,” said Dominguez. “The kids began to take pride in their work. They are able to get a sense of accomplishment and have a structured activity.”

Taff is hoping many more groups will be able to get use out of the community garden.

“We think this would be a great opportunity for the community to use. Even 4-H groups and agricultural groups too. We want to make the garden a safe place to grow food and walk around, too,” he said.

Community organizers are looking for a garden steward who will oversee garden maintenance and answer community requests in the following year.

It costs $15 to rent a plot and the garden generally accepts applications in February.

For more information, visit county.wsu.edu/grant-adams and click on the gardening section on the left hand corner, or call 509-754-2011 ext. 413.