Gardeners and gardens unite! The Fernie Community EcoGarden has launched a new way for Elk Valley residents to garden more, a yard-share program. Based on the EcoGarden’s Apple Share program that links tree owners with those that want to harvest fruit, the Shared Garden program will do the same for garden space in the area.
“Spring has sprung and many people are itching to get their hands in the soil and start gardening,” said Dawn Deydey, with Wildsight’s Elk Valley Branch. “But some don’t have space available and all the EcoGarden plots are filled. So we set up a yard share webpage.”
The website allows people post their unused garden space so gardeners can find it. It also has a section that explains how to make garden sharing go smoothly for those involved.
Deydey said Shared Gardens can benefit both gardeners and those with space to share.
“Do you need help in your yard but don’t how to get it? Shared Gardens can be a way to get help in exchange for sharing your space for the season,” she said.
The Shared Gardens webpage is partly a response to the success of the Fernie Community EcoGarden, which is already filled to capacity with a waiting list. “We’ve had to turn people away at the EcoGarden this year, even though we doubled the number of our plots last year,” Deydey said. “This will give those who really want to get into gardening the opportunity to go ahead and plant.”
Fernie Community EcoGarden
The webpage is live right now at www.EcoGarden.ca/SharedGardens
In addition to the benefits to gardeners and those who want to fill their empty yards, sharing gardens has several other benefits, Deydey said. “It cuts down on greenhouse gases by limiting the travel time of vegetables to your table,” she said. “It connects you to family, friends and neighbours. It helps you eat more fresh veggies and avoid pesticides.”
Most important, Deydey said, is that yard sharing lays the groundwork for local food systems that are more resilient to global economic trends. “Gardening increases our individual and community food security. It’s not only fun, it’s a step to a more secure future.”
