Crops and Community

A well-tended garden plot of only 10 feet x 10 feet can grow an estimated 100 pounds of food. Multiply that by 250 plots and we grow a lot of food that nourishes a lot of people!

Beyond those impressive numbers, though, are other stories of our gardens. Our garden welcomes gardeners from 12 countries and who speak nine different languages. They range in age from pre-schoolers to octogenarians. We have college students planting their first gardens and families teaching young children where food comes from. It’s a beautiful and unique place in southern Minnesota where all kinds of intergenerational and cross-cultural sharing and community-building happens.

On one spring day, when most folks were working on beginning tasks in their individual garden plots, one gardener approached me with noxious weed in hand. A refugee from Africa, she didn’t know the plant’s name (quack grass); she knew it had taken over her garden. She, being eight months pregnant, was in need of help. I went from gardener to gardener explaining the predicament and the words “quack grass” and “eight months pregnant” in the same sentence seemed to catch people’s attention. When I turned around I was astounded to see 8, 10, 12 gardeners shoulder-to-shoulder working their way through Betty’s garden digging out the weeds!

As I reflected on this experience, I thought what seemed like a gift for Betty was really a gift for us as a community – to be of service to each other. THAT’S what gets done in the community gardens.

We offer to you a sampling of our tasty recipes. Enjoy!

To learn more about our activities and events, we invite you to read our spring newsletter.

Article and photos by Lisa Coons, Co-Director of CESRM