.: HartsvilleToday :.

Groups clean space of future Hartsville community garden

Posted by LisaRock on 03/19 at 04:12 PM

On Sunday, a group of adults and children from the Darlington County Head Start Program, the True Dads Program and Jacob’s Ladder along with Nancy Myers and her grandchildren cleaned up the vacant lot on Fifth and Poole Streets between Tony’s Fireside Grill and Burger King.

The 100-foot by 280-foot lot will serve as a community garden for Hartsville with several goals in mind: to educate participants on the value of incorporating vegetables into their diets, to provide after-school activity for children, to foster good community spirit, to beautify the neighborhood and to help establish pride in the community.

City Council approved a resolution supporting the use of the vacant lot as a garden during its March 9 meeting. The city will also waive business license and service fees for the project.

The community garden concept is in keeping with the city’s comprehensive plan, supporters say.

Walter Copeland, the property owner, has given permission to use his property free of cost for the sole purpose to establish a community garden.

Pressley Coker and Bonnie Gardner have volunteered to help prepare the soil by paying for soil testing, as well as by personally plowing, tilling, spraying and fertilizing. Mary Ridgeway of Kalmia Gardens and Coker College has agreed to assist in plotting out the garden. Other members of the community have offered to supply miscellaneous materials.

There are several homes in Hartsville that are scheduled to be demolished. With the assistance of Teresa Mack, doors, wood, windows and cinder blocks will be recycled into work benches, dividers and plot markers.

Rules and regulations will be developed by the Executive Committee overseeing the garden. Committee members include Howard Tripp of Hartsville Family YMCA, Tim Ringer of Walmart, Todd Shifflet of CareSouth-Carolina, Glynnis Thornwall of Gardner’s Fertilizer & Seed, Nancy Myers, Mary Ridgeway of Kalmia Gardens, Presley Coker and Dan Hill of Kalmia Gardens.

The lot will be divided into appropriate plot size with each plot being “leased” for $5 to $15 depending on size per plot per year.

Each organization, group or person will be responsible for their plot including planting, watering, weeding and keeping their area clean.

The gardeners will be able to grow, consume, share product with friends and family. They will be asked to sell a portion of their produce at the Good Living Marketplace and the gardeners will keep all profits. There will not be a charge to participate at the marketplace.

To sign up for a plot, call Nancy Myers at (843) 858-0742.

Note: Presley Coker said he will be discing the lot Saturday.

http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/article/groups_clean_space_of_future_hartsville_community_garden/110947/

Your comments:

sherryfm says:

I was across the street at Subway on Friday, the 19th, and there were several people out there, cleaning up the lot on the Fifth St. side.

This is a great idea. I hope it is successful.

One question: Is there a water source provided?

On: 03/20 at 07:56 AM

hjordan says:

The community garden is a great idea if we dident have smell burger king while tring to enjoy the garden. My opinion Good idea, bad location.

On: 03/20 at 06:26 PM

therealist says:

Great idea - provide free vegetables for all the homeless and unsavory types that wander through the area.
I doubt anyone that works the garden will actually be able to share anything with their friends and family. I predict everything you grow will be stolen and eaten by someone who has little moral values.

I hope it works out, and its a great idea in theory. I live in the real world, however, and recognize that while you may believe most people are good enough to leave your plants alone, they really arent.

In order for this to work out, you’re going to have to put up a big fence (at least 8 feet - those 4 foot fences only keep out the midget thieves) with barbed wire or something, with a locked gate, and each person owning a plot will have to have a key. Replace the lock every season - so old keys will not work.

On: 03/27 at 10:49 AM

NM says:

The Community Garden will be ready by the end of April.

There will be a fence surrounding the entire area
and yes,there will be water available on site. Plot sizes are 4X10 & 5X5 @$5; 4X20 @$10 and 4x30 @$15. The front of the garden which is 5th St will consist of a “childrens flower garden”. The middle of the garden will be designated to anyone that wish to grow their own vegetables. The end of the garden (Poole St) will be designated “childrens vegetable garden”.

All volunteers are working diligently to provide
a safe, clean community garden for everyone in Hartsville.

If you would like to participate as a “gardener” or volunteer please call 858-0742 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

On: 04/05 at 06:12 PM

Jana E. Longfellow says:

Happy to say that my little garden plot is thriving and that the folks that walk by are super friendly and supportive of the garden…the fellow gardeners are the nicest folks in Hartsville…and that there is zero smell of Burger King at my little spot- all I can smell is my gardenia! This weekend I found a baby green tomato on one of my two tomato plants and that is a huge reward for me.