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If you are like me, you have driven by the Frazee House on Raritan Road and seen the hundreds of pumpkins piled up every Fall. Perhaps you’ve noticed activity happening behind the historic building and wondered to yourself, “What is going on back there?” The answer? Goodness. There is genuine goodness being practiced by the faithful community of local gardeners that make up the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Community Garden, “secretly” residing behind the Frazee House for over ten years. Goodness that takes the form of fresh produce, herbs and flowers - but also volunteerism, inclusion, health, wellness and charity. I have driven past this location hundreds of times. And I had no idea.
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Thanks to the support of the Township of Scotch Plains and grants from Union County Means Green, this volunteer-based organization received a generous plot of land in 2015 to create their garden. Here, the group hosts 34 (2’ x 10’) rental beds for those avid gardeners that may otherwise not have a place to work out their “green thumbs”. Take Bill and Maryann Foster for example. The couple have lived in Scotch Plains for over 23 years and share a love of gardening with their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. Three generations of Fosters now tend to two rental beds that produce a far better return than their home garden that was consistently overtaken by the resident deer population. The Community Garden offers raised beds, soil, irrigation (a rarity for community gardens) and the protection of an eight-foot fence that keeps out hungry deer. Not to mention the horticultural expertise of a Master Gardener. The greatest benefit, however, is the camaraderie that is created as each gardener also volunteers their time and talent to over 400 SF of “Giving Beds”. Centrally located in the heart of the garden, these shared beds yield over 1,000 pounds of fresh produce for donation to local food banks each season. The design and plant-able space of the Giving Beds was recently improved thanks to an Eagle Scout Project from local BSA Troop 104. The gardeners come together once a week in-season to harvest crops and delight in the success achieved through their collective effort.
The yield from the donation beds is more than impressive! Planting starts in April and continues through the Fall. Over the summer months, a wide variety of organic squashes, peppers, Swiss chard, tomatoes, tomatillos and green beans is harvested, delivered, and distributed to food insecure families and vulnerable populations. Fresh herbs like basil, sage and cilantro offer families not only nutrition, but flavor and fragrance. Community Garden President, Cathy Harris, recounts the smiles on the faces of recipients as they pick up fresh jalapenos and radishes, grateful for the chance to cook with farm-to-table ingredients. “It is rare for food banks to be able to complement pantry staples with such high quality organic produce” she says. “We have become a group of friends working together with purpose - to grow stewardship of the land and in turn, cultivate fellowship with our neighbors”.
While the tall fence around the garden has managed to keep deer at bay, there is no shortage of garden “predators”. This summer’s abundance of rain has created an opportunity for mildew to grow - while Cucumber and Squash beetles also try to wreak havoc. None of these would-be nemesis stand a chance, however, against the expertise of current Master Gardener, Margaret Chowdhury or her predecessor, Uschi Ueltzhoeffer. A Fanwood resident for over 30 years, Margaret received her Master Gardener Certification from Rutgers University in 2008 and continues to receive horticultural training that she shares through her volunteerism at the Community Garden. She walks the gardens with an unspoken but obvious joy - and gets visibly excited when she spots a teaching opportunity. I am her student today and she generously instructs me on the finer points of pollinator plants and soil boosters. She dives into the swamp milkweed she planted as a host for the endangered monarch butterfly population. I join in her excitement as she points out microscopic monarch caterpillar eggs - and then…an actual monarch caterpillar! And another! The milkweed is doing its job, and with quiet satisfaction, Margaret moves along to continue hers.
To learn more about the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Community Garden, including volunteer and donation opportunities, please visit www.frazeehouse.org. For regular updates on the bountiful harvests or upcoming events please visit the Scotch Plains Community Garden Facebook page.
We are a group of friends working together with purpose - to grow stewardship of the land and cultivate fellowship with our neighbors.