Gwen Berry
The Garden of Weedin has become somewhat of an institution here on High Prairie. Every summer for many years now, an ever-changing group of enthusiastic High Prairians has brought forth a gorgeous vegetable, herb and flower garden in an old corral along Centerville Highway. The garden membership shifts every spring – some members leave the group and new members come on board.
The Garden of Weedin is a cooperative garden, where everyone works together to prepare the soil, plant the seeds, keep the weeds down, and harvest the fruits of their labor. Periodically the gardeners relax together at a potluck, sharing dishes that spotlight produce from the garden.
There are lots of benefits to this kind of group gardening. By sharing the work and making use of an extensive drip irrigation system, the gardeners can grow more varieties of produce (from Artichokes to Zucchini, says one of the members), and in larger quantities, than would be possible if they were gardening separately. It’s more fun, too, because there’s almost always someone to chat with over the planting or picking. It’s a great way to spend time with friends and get to know new ones.
It’s educational, too. Less experienced gardeners learn “on the job” from those with more experience; while those mentors add to their knowledge by doing a little research when questions come up that they can’t answer.
There’s a real joy in seeing what you’ve planted sprout and thrive. And there’s the produce itself – nice and ripe, fresh off the plant, free of pesticides and full of flavor.
The membership “musical chairs” is happening now, so if this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, send an email to jakesflies@hotmail.com or call Jake at 365-0025. You don’t have to be a gardening expert to join the group.
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