NORTH SMITHFIELD – The Halliwell Community Garden in its 4th year is alive and well, and in need of volunteers to continue to grow, quite literally.
“We seemed to have a good amount of volunteers the first couple of years,” said Jennifer Keith, one of three “captains” who oversee the garden, along with Cheryl Marandola and Ann Lilley. “I think people were just looking for something to do during covid.”
Others, she said, were interested in improving their own gardening skills in hopes of picking up some ideas or information. The initial garden was somewhat smaller and existed near the former Halliwell Memorial School building. When it came time to tear that building down, they moved the garden area to the lower field and the gardeners made it bigger.
More plants and more space, however, meant a need for more hands to help tend to the gardening chores, from weeding, watering, planting and other necessary tasks.
“This garden is bigger than the one we had,” explained Keith. “But, we also seem to have a longer volunteer list. It seems to start strong at the beginning of the year, when we have to shovel manure and compost, planting…then all of a sudden people just drop off. We understand it’s summertime, but it’s like, where are the volunteers?”
On a usual night, she said, there might be up to six who show up, “if we are lucky,” though there are over 100 on the email list. Regulars show up in the rain, 100 degree heat or whatever Mother Nature may send, to get the job done and keep the garden growing.
“We have what may seem to be a revolving cast of maybe a total of 12 that I can count on,” said Keith.
Plans are in the works to build a multi-generational facility at the former school site. When that happens, Keith explained, the garden may be moved to the courtyard of that building to provide more vegetables, as well as an opportunity for social interaction with residents. Currently, a wealth of fresh vegetables grown are harvested and delivered to the North Smithfield Food Pantry for distribution.
“When we do move up there, it would be nice if we had more people willing to volunteer,” said Keith. “It would be really great if we had more people.”
Preparations for the garden start in the spring when heirloom seeds bought from various companies are planted and started. Once seedlings, they are sold to raise money to pay for the seeds, and any equipment or other materials needed.
“Every year we have a sale,” Keith explained. “Ann and Cheryl have put up their own money. They are wonderful gardeners. They can start from seed to finish. They nurture the seedlings, then in May we have a plant sale. It’s pay what you can. People are very generous. Then we take the money from the seedling sale and put it towards the minor things we need and seeds for the following year.”
“We try to pick out things that are popular,” said Lilley. “Tomatoes, squash, beans, peppers, things like that. We try to make everyone happy.”
Wright’s Dairy Farm provides manure for the gardens, which are completely organic in nature.
“We pride ourselves on the fact that everything is organic,” said Keith. “We do not use any pesticides or anything like that. We plant a lot of flowers and herbs that keep bugs at bay.”
The idea was first suggested by Lilley, who keeps a large garden of her own.
“Starting this garden was something I was interested in for years and years and years,” said Lilley. “This is truly a community garden.”
Most community gardens offer individual plots for individual gardeners. That sometimes leads to gardens being neglected by individuals who may be on vacation or simply stop. The North Smithfield garden, however, is tended by all as a singular amenity.
“We all work together,” said Lilley. “I thought this would be more efficient. Part of the idea was also we would be training people to be gardeners. Some people will show up at the beginning and help plant and get things started, and then they’re done, which is fine.”
But there is more to a garden than just growing flowers and vegetables.
“I tell people it’s a community garden, and what we are really growing is community,” said Lilley. “It’s part of building that bond between people and getting them together. I think people have a need to contribute to the community, and they don’t know how to do that. Plus, it gives them something healthy to eat, something to do, to learn. There are so many positive things.”
People willing to volunteer can contact Lilley on Facebook. Volunteers may also show up at the Halliwell location at 358 Victory Highway on Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m. or Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.
“Maybe if they get interested now, when we are coming to an end, and they can see how we wrap-up the garden, maybe they’ll be interested in volunteering,” said Keith. “We start earlier than what most people think, with planting seeds in the winter. I just think if we can just keep this going and bring it up to the multi-generational center, we’ll have more people volunteering.”
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