Community garden seeks seed money grant

The Palermo Community Garden last summer. The group is seeking matching funds for a grant. (Contributed photo)

From November 15 to December 15, the Palermo Community Garden is seeking matching funds for a small grant to buy seeds, replace worn-out garden tools, procure organic soil nutrients, and generally upgrade the 22,000 sq. ft. garden that provides fresh produce for the Palermo Food Pantry. The Community Garden features 32 cedar log raised beds, raspberry and blackberry patches, and 18 kinds of perennial fruits and vegetables, including fiddlehead ferns. A spectacular grape arbor graces the north end of the Garden, which is a favorite place for holding all sorts of barbecues and celebrations.

Master Gardener Volunteer Connie Bellet cares for the gardens, with help from her husband, Phil White Hawk and occasional volunteers. “This is a ‘sweat-equity’ garden,” explains White Hawk. Anybody can come over and put in an hour of weeding and go home with all the produce their family can use. Bellet has planted some 140 varieties of edible vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit. “We try for at least one kind of exotic, weird, and colorful new plant every year, just to see if it will grow here,” she says. “We want people of all ages to come and join the fun!” Now, even with snow on the ground, everybody CAN jump in.

There’s not much time to do this, but please go to our donation page and donate whatever you can spare. “We are not trying to break the bank, but we do need your support, and we need it today, while you are thinking of it. Your timely donation is very important to us and highly appreciated. Thank you so very much for helping us meet our challenge of $800,” said Bellet. “All of us at the Palermo Community Center wish you and your family a holiday season of joy and abundance.”