Urban Agriculture class volunteers supporting community gardens

A partnership between the Morinville Centennial Community Garden Society (MCCGS) and a group of volunteers from Morinville Community High School’s Urban Agriculture class will result in fresh free produce for Morinville and the area this summer.

The MCHS class met early last week with garden society volunteers to plan, plant and water a cooperative garden space at the Champlain Park site.

The cooperative garden space is located north of the garden shed at the Champlain site, located at 99 Avenue and 104 Street, across from the old arena.

“I was impressed with how eager, capable, and community-minded these young volunteers were,” Buga, the society’s president, said in a media release Tuesday. “One of our goals this year for the community gardens is to reduce the amount of hours we ask of our volunteers, and the support from the MCHS class has been invaluable. We are grateful for these kinds of partnerships and a supportive community.”

The co-operative garden includes the site’s circular vegetable beds, various herb planters, and the location’s perennial fruit trees and bushes.

The public is free to pick fruits and vegetables from those areas at any time. The Community Gardens will donate a final end-of-season harvest to the Morinville Food Bank.

MCHS Urban Agriculture teacher Neil Korotash said helping prepare and plant the food bank garden gave the students a meaningful way to put what they’ve learned at school to use and contribute to their community.

“I think it’s important for them to see and participate in community-building endeavours like this,” Korotash said in the media release. “As a result, they’ll have a sense of ownership and pride and can take joy in watching the garden grow throughout the summer.”

In addition to the Champlain site, which has the communal garden and two dozen 12′ X 15′ private beds, the MCCGS also operates a smaller site at the Morinville United Church. That location has smaller 4′ x 8′ rental plots available but no public garden space.

Members of the public are asked not to touch the produce in the private beds at either location.

This year marks the society’s 10th anniversary. The society holds work bees twice a month: 6 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month and 1 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month. All are welcome.

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