Gardeners with plots in Black Diamond’s community garden will have to abide by some new rules this season.
To comply with social distancing regulations in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a maximum of 15 gardeners are allowed in the fenced area at a time with no more than two people per plot, gardeners must remain at least six feet apart and tools in the tool shed are off limits until the restrictions are lifted by the Province, according to Diamond Valley Garden Committee chair Jane Toews.
Toews said the Black Diamond Emergency Co-ordination Centre’s announcement last month that the community garden would resume operation this season came as exciting news for the committee and this season’s 54 plot holders – which includes an array of single people, couples and families.
While some provinces have declared community gardens as an essential service, Alberta was not among them.
“People are really happy and really grateful that we are open, and so appreciative,” said Toews. “There’s a lot of excitement about being open and being able to move ahead.”
To further prevent the spread of COVID-19, Toews said the committee reserved 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for seniors and members who are immune-compromised.
As it does every year, the committee distributed an electronic survey to plot holders at the start of the season, which revealed that 132 people will benefit from the 67 public garden plots, almost double last year’s number.
“People are feeding more than themselves, they are feeding others, so that’s nice to see,” said Toews. “Seniors are feeding other seniors or people are feeding kids that I don’t think are their own kids because they didn’t have that number before.”
Toews also noticed that the demographics have changed, with more young people renting plots this season.
“There seems to be some more enthusiasm with the younger people,” she said. “Maybe it’s because a lot of people have been hit economically with this COVID-19 pandemic.”
This season marks the first that Black Diamond couple Paige Switzer and Kai Lauridsen, who are in their twenties, joined a community garden.
“Both of our moms were avid gardeners,” said Switzer. “On the farm I grew up on, my grandma farmed an acre of garden vegetables, which is a huge garden. I grew up eating raspberries and playing in the dirt.”
With little space and sunlight to grow a garden in their backyard, Switzer said joining the community garden made sense so they could grow their own produce while connecting with other gardeners.
“Being a part of the community garden was a draw in that it’s a shared space and you get to meet people and make connections through gardening,” said Switzer. “Knowing we would have more time for gardening with COVID-19 has been a draw and having something to get you outside and connecting with the earth and growing your own food is certainly an enjoyable process.”
Switzer said they look forward to being around like-minded people and snacking on vegetables throughout the season while watering and weeding. They plan to grow beets, carrots, beans, lettuce, potatoes and garlic.
“We were very excited and very grateful about getting two plots,” Switzer said. “It gives us some leeway to have a little fun and experiment with a little more space.”
The couple is also excited about the community garden’s composting program.
“Another major draw to the garden was they have compost so we can bring our own kitchen scraps,” Switzer said. “That’s pretty huge since Black Diamond doesn’t have its own compost program.”
The Black Diamond Community Garden features an array of fruit trees and bushes that grow apples, cherries, saskatoons, currants, squash, zucchini and rhubarb, which are accessible to all gardeners and their families.
Two garden plots are reserved each year to grow produce for the Oilfields Food Bank, which feeds people in need in Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview, Millarville and the surrounding Foothills County.
Plots cost $40 annually to rent.
For updated information, follow our COVID-19 special section for the latest local and national news on the coronavirus pandemic, as well as resources, FAQs and more.
