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Project Description: to assess the need/desire for a community garden in Finland. If the need exists, the goal would be to build a community garden space.
Project Updates:
March 5, 2021: The Finland “Give Peas a Chance” Community Garden is expanding and getting ready for its first growing season. Winter weather delayed putting the deer fencing up, but that will happen as soon as post holes can be dug. As of March 5th there is still 1 community garden bed available. To sign up for a garden bed, stop by the Finland Coop and fill out a form, or email stefan@friendsoffinland.org or carollanger2011@gmail.com.
The cost is $20 for the whole season, and with this you will get a 4’x8’ bed to garden, access to water, free informational sessions, and a group of people to grow with!
On Feb. 26th we had our first virtual garden meeting: Garden Planning; where to begin with Sandy Maxwell of Maxwell’s Woodland Nursery, Stefan Meyer of Finland’s AgroEcology Center, and Carol Langer of Give Peas a Chance.
July 2020, Update written by Patti Paulson
In July, groundbreaking for Finland’s community gardens occurred with much joy, but not much ceremony. Volunteers constructed 10 – 4’ x 8‘ raised garden beds using locally harvested cedar lumber at the host site, Baptism River Lutheran Church on Highway One.
July 2020, Update written by Patti Paulson
In July, groundbreaking for Finland’s community gardens occurred with much joy, but not much ceremony. Volunteers constructed 10 – 4’ x 8‘ raised garden beds using locally harvested cedar lumber at the host site, Baptism River Lutheran Church on Highway One.
The planning committee intends for work parties to fence the area and fill beds with soil and composted materials. The garden will feature wheelchair accessible pathways. Anyone interested in volunteering or donating to the project is welcomed and appreciated. The new community garden space name will be celebrated later this fall in a naming ceremony.
April 2020, Update written by Greg Hanson
Baptism River Community Church (BRCC – formerly Zion Lutheran Church in Finland) has wanted to offer some of their land to be utilized as a community garden for some time now. The Church council came together on this project even before the Food Chain grant was approved. The Food Chain project was an incentive to get moving. BRCC’s mission is to be an asset to the community of Finland and their focus on EcoFaith and Hunger issues seemed to be a good fit with the community garden idea.
The first group of interested folks came together on March 16th, 2020 to open the can of worms – so to speak. Sarah Mayer, Cindy Hale, Cindy Hanson, David Abazs and Greg Hanson discussed the why and the how to get this thing going. We assigned various research regarding fencing, compost/soil purchase/production, labor needs to build the garden, funding, next steps.
It was decided that this year will be a preparation year as there is much work to be done before anyone can plant anything. First we need to see if anyone is interested so we will leave an interest sign up sheet at the Clair Nelson and publicize through various social and print media. Funding is needed for materials. The ELCA (church wide body) has a grant available for food projects which will be looked into and the Food Chain might have some money available for materials. Thrivent Financial has Action Team grants available to members to support various community service projects. Sarah will see if Wolf Ridge is willing to part with some of their tamarack and see if we can come up with a good looking plan for boxes. Fencing will be the biggest cost so we are researching inexpensive, good looking, permanent, effective ideas about fencing. We will need wood chips for between the boxes, so if anyone has a tree being chipped let us know.
Folks will likely be charged a nominal fee to rent a garden plot to help offset ongoing maintenance and materials costs. Once we can get back together, we will be offering a hands on composting class and filling boxes to get ready for next summer’s planting.
Our next Zoom meeting will be sometime in May as we pull together our research ideas, start to source our materials, and begin to pursue funding. If you are interested in getting involved send us an email!
Thanks to all who are helping to get this project off the ground and to those future volunteers who will be getting their hands dirty bringing it to fruition.