The Highlights of the 2014 Season

Thanks to the community of Lafayette for a wonderful year! We enjoyed many successes. Here are some of the highlights:

– We reached capacity, with 70 garden member families (about 120 members) and sixteen families on the waiting list for next season.
– Soil was greatly enhanced through addition of compost and other organic nutrients.
– Ten beautiful new beds were constructed.
Propagation of our plants took place in homes and at the garden. Planting was done with attention paid to what was planted where. Rotation of crops, water conservation and bio-intensive methods of planting guided our planning.
– Plants which we propagated but couldn’t use in the garden were given to Chateau Lafayette and Belle Terre Eden Senior Housing facilities for their patio gardens.
– We opened the garden to the entire community Wednesdays 2–5pm, Thursdays 9am–12pm and Saturdays 9am–1pm. Many community groups (scouts, schools, garden clubs, etc.) were given tours.
– The garden produced over a ton of vegetables and herbs. Almost all of the harvest was taken by community garden members. What was in excess was donated to the new Belle Terre Housing and Chateau Lafayette.
– We got water! We worked with the City to access and purchase piped in water rather than depend on it being trucked as in years past. Thanks to a grant from the Lafayette Community Foundation and private donors, we were able to install an efficient drip irrigation system. We remained cautious in what and how we planted in order to save water.
– We took down our “not to code” greenhouse and purchased a beautiful new greenhouse, thanks to support from the Happy Valley Garden Club and the Brenner Foundation.
– Over 350 people visited our third annual Harvest Festival, enjoying activities from scare crow building to sachet making, listening to music, and learning about the natural history of Lafayette.
– Our education programs provided a variety of rich experiences for community members of all ages:
– Partnering with the Lafayette Library, we hosted regular themed book events and workshops for children.
– This summer we offered a month long series of eight preschool classes and a weeklong Native American immersion camp for 7 – 12 year olds.
– Ten adult and intergenerational classes and workshops were attended by over 200 visitors.