Volunteers needed for garden

ROYAL CITY - SHOC (Strengthening the Heart of the Community) is again looking for individuals and families who are interested in gardening, but this time it's not just for gardening.

Keeping the project alive may depend on new blood, garden coordinator Sharon Chesterman said recently. Some of the folks who've been active from the beginning are starting to burn out, and the garden has never been fully utilized.

"SHOC is asking, 'What can make the garden viable?'" Chesterman commented. "We feel that too much money and energy has been expended to abandon the project, but we don't know what to do."

A meeting will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 11 a.m. at city hall. The entire community is invited.

"Can you help?" Chesterman asked.

"Please come," she added.

In years past, SHOC planned organizational meetings, sent out flyers, had articles in the paper but, still, there were lots to rent.

The garden is a community project started in 2010 by the WSU Extension Program, Master Gardener Foundation of Grant and Adams Counties, Royal School District, the City of Royal City and SHOC.

The garden is made up of twenty 12-foot-by-12-foot lots near the Royal Schools campus for families to grow fresh foods. They plant, weed and harvest. They need to monitor the watering only, for it is an automatic drip system.

"For $20, one can rent a lot and enjoy the bounty," Chesterman said.

Robert Weber of Desert Rain Irrigation and Duane Schwatke and some of his students at Royal High School did the trenching and buried the pipe for the drip watering system. Last year, a standing faucet was added.

That first year, Carol Haas painted the sign that is still in place. Mr. Schwatke and his students placed it.

"I think it was late in 2010 or early 2011 that the Master Gardeners Foundation gave us a shed," Chesterman said. "That gave us a much-needed place to store things."

Gradually, the walkways have been covered with garden fabric and wood chips. The lots have been enhanced with donated compost from Royal Organics.

"Each year we try to do a little more," Chesterman said.

The last two years Frenchman Hills Quarry has brought gravel for the parking area. Saddle Mountain Supply and Simplot have contributed.

Other community members and Master Gardeners have helped weed and clean up. High school teacher Kathy Schutz has used fresh vegetables in her cooking classes.

"We appreciate everything that everyone has done," Chesterman said. "We just need individuals or families who want to grow and take care of a garden. We even encourage two or three families to go together and plant one lot."

SHOC has promoted the program, coordinated improvements and encouraged community members to plant gardens. But it hasn't been very successful.

"Last spring, one of Robert Brown's high school classes tilled all of the lots, and only a few of the 20 lots were rented," Chesterman said.

Candy Vermeer's second grade class planted pumpkins and sunflowers last year in four or five lots, and they did well. Her classes have also used the garden for math and science study.

"I think one or two other classes have visited the garden. Students from the high school have helped weed and spread wood chips. But, we need families who want to grow gardens."