Arlo is a two-year-old boy who cares more about big trucks and shiny rocks than carrots, onions and radishes.
Arnold is many decades older and no longer has the energy to care for the big garden that was once behind his house in town until a few years ago. He is happy growing veggies and other crops on a smaller scale in his greenhouse in a corner of the garden.
Not everybody has access to a plot of land to grow a garden in the town of Smithers. Some may have access to the land, but the soil or sun exposure may not be ideal for growing food. It probably explains why several years ago, some local citizens decided to create a community garden. Northern Roots is the name that was assigned to it.
It is a successful initiative that hosts at least 50 gardeners over 35 plots located on Railway Avenue. The land is owned by the municipality but each gardener is in charge of their own plot. You know an initiative is brilliant when it becomes a victim of its success. In the last few years, there was no longer room for new gardeners at Northern Roots. The demand exceeded the opportunities and new applicants were placed on a waitlist.
Surprisingly there are plenty of plots in town that could be used for gardening. Many of those places used to be productive gardens. What is even more astonishing is that several of those plots’ owners would be more than happy to see those chunks of weed-overgrown pieces of land getting back to their garden state.
Better at Home is a program that provides non-medical services to seniors so they can live independently at home and remain connected to their community. There are more than 80 communities in B.C. that benefit from that program. Each of them caters to the local needs of the population.
When the program was launched in April 2021, many participants seem saddened that they no longer had the energy to maintain their garden. Food security was one motivation, but there was also the enjoyment to grow things as a hobby and more simply the pleasure to look at a nice productive garden. Once abandoned those gardens turn into messy weed-invaded pieces of yards.
Would it not be possible to connect those who own a garden and can no longer maintain it with younger gardeners eager to use their energy to grow food? That was the question we asked ourselves.
United Way BC is an organization that “supports the development of healthy, caring, and inclusive communities by strengthening vital connections that support people in need. Better at Home received a Food Infrastructure grant to assist in the launching of our Shared Gardens program.
The concept is rather simple: it is a cross-generational initiative that connects landowners with landless gardeners. Matching is based on participants’ aspirations and location. Proximity is an asset when you want to grow a garden. One should be able to walk or ride their bicycle to the garden they care for.
Next, both parties can work on a written agreement that describes their objectives, in order to prevent any misunderstanding or disagreement during the growing season or at harvest time. The agreement can be very specific or very open.
It starts with a meeting between the two parties. In the case of Arnold and Graham, everything seemed to fall easily in place and the written agreement looked more like a conversation, sincere eye contact and a pair of generous smiles followed by a handshake.
Graham is the father of the little boy who likes rocks and trucks. He was on the waitlist for the Northern Roots Community Garden (NRCG). RBCG president informed people placed on their waitlist of our Shared Gardens initiative and encouraged them to make contact with us. That is what Graham did.
Arnold, who like many of us, doesn’t get any younger had read an article in the local paper regarding Shared Gardens. He called to volunteer a portion of his yard. He made it very clear, right from the beginning that he didn’t expect to get a share of the harvest.
“I would be happy to have somebody using the garden because it is too much work for me now,” he said.
The day Graham showed up with his son Arlo for an introduction with the yard owner, it was hard to know whose eyes were the brightest between the old man and the little boy. It seemed that the connection was rather instant. It was becoming a multi-generational experience. It is always surprising how young people can give to older ones, just by being themselves.
A few months down the road, there is no doubt the garden turned out to be very prolific. Onions, radishes and lettuces have already been harvested. What is most striking though, is the relationship it generated. What grew out of that shared garden initiative is a stronger community connection between members of our community.
United Way showcased our initiative during an online event and confirmed to us, our program funding could be extended for another year. All potential gardeners have their criminal record checked (for free) for the safety of senior participants.
Seniors sharing their land could benefit from a free composter.
Get ready for another season by calling 250 847 9515 (ext: 2008).
Smithers Community Services Association