Community gardens ready for growing season

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Published on Monday, May 25, 2015

Submitted Article

The Neepawa community garden is now in its seventh year. The garden, located just north of the Flats soccer field, has supplied bushels of fresh vegetables to gardeners in spite of the deer, rabbits and raccoons who also like the greens easily accessible in neatly planted rows. 

The garden started on Commerce Street, where no animals attacked it. When it was moved to its present location, gardeners soon found the need for a fence of some kind. With the help of town employees who cemented in the posts, the gardeners used deer fencing to deter the predators. This seemed to work, until a gardener came to get vegetables and found two large rips in the plastic fence, one where the deer came in and one where it left. Last year, the town increased the size of the garden, so the fence was extended. The deer and the raccoons continued to eat what appealed to them. This has not discouraged the gardeners.

 This year, the garden is managed by the gardeners themselves. After the town rototilled the plots, a meeting was held to discuss the future of the garden. People who like to grow are a breed of their own. A committee was formed to measure the plots and to look after which plot belonged to whom. There were many good ideas on aspects of the garden. Within a couple of days, the plots were measured and planting potatoes had begun. 

The garden began under the sponsorship of Communities in Bloom, and has now reached the intended goal; it is not funded. It is run by those who garden there. If you have a wish to grow some of your own vegetables, there are a couple of plots available. Call Lorraine and Wayne Cabernel who have volunteered to look after the plots. Their number is 204-476-3143.