Despite a wet start, this year’s harvest at the Altona Community Garden looks to be a bountiful one.
“You had to work a little harder to stay ahead of the weeds, but everything looks great,” says coordinator Jack Heppner, who adds there was a waiting list when planting season began this year.
“This year we expanded north, with 40 new plots, but we had 65 new applicants. But there are always spaces that open, with some not coming back. So we decided the first 30 on the waiting list would get one plot. The next 30 got half a plot. There are about 30 or so people on the north side that only have half a plot, but they got their foot in the door.”
With about 150 families using the garden, Heppner estimates that the site provides fresh produce for at least 800 people.
“That’s substantial. There’s always somebody here, in all kinds of numbers. There are so many cultures represented. About 47 percent of the gardeners are newcomers. One disadvantage with the growth is that I don’t remember everyone’s names anymore, but they all know mine.”
To say that the community garden is growing is an understatement. It’s come a long way since it began in 2017. The Altona Community Action Network (ACAN) took over the operation of the site in 2018, when it was a bare field with 57 plots available for planting.
Today, with a large pavilion, washrooms, accessible plots, two garden sheds loaded with supplies, a play area for kids, as well as a bridge, pathway and courtyard to greet visitors, the garden boasts 180 plots, with plans for 20 more next year.
Heppner says it’s been a joyful journey, learning about new languages and ways of planting, while giving residents of all backgrounds a place to mingle and grow their own food.
But there’s still work to be done.
“We’re not quite finished with the accessible gardens. One is for wheelchairs, and one is for people who use walkers. The beds are in, but the overhead watering system isn’t finished; there’s a temporary tank there right now. The town will be paving a base, and then we’ll finish that all up.”
Planting for the community orchard to the north of the garden began in spring, and they hope to add an herb garden next year.
Their most recent addition is a medicine garden established by Steps Toward Reconciliation, a grassroots organization based in Altona. The garden is based on the Indigenous medicine wheel worldview.
Heppner says there’s no way any of this could have been possible without ongoing support from the Town, the community at large, and volunteers on the various sub committees, who provide their know-how and expertise, along with their time.
He also praises the gardeners themselves, who keep the plots and pathways clean.
“We get big truckloads of compost from the town. We realized there’s stones in it, so I designed a sifter that can be used over a wheelbarrow. Now each gardener can do their own screening, and use the stones to create a gravel path around their plot.”
Heppner gets a little emotional when he reflects on how far they’ve come.
“When we started years ago, there’s no way we could have imagined what it is now. We just took a step at a time, and our vision just grew. It was trial and error. And we’re always still learning. It’s nice to see the results of all our hard work. It really is a field of dreams, and we were proud to show it off at this year’s Sunflower Festival. I’ve seen community gardens in other towns, and nobody comes close to Altona’s. I think we have the best one in rural Manitoba.”
