A Call to Garden in Branford

by Diana Stricker | April 2, 2009 2:20 PM | | Comments (7)

IMG_0872.jpgVeggies and camaraderie will grow in Branford this year, thanks to a group of volunteers who are sponsoring the town’s first community gardens.

The new initiative will provide garden plots for people who don’t have their own space, and will enable volunteers to grow vegetables for the needy. In addition, the multi-plot gardens will allow experienced gardeners and novices to work side by side.

“With the economic situation, there is a need to pull people from all different backgrounds to do something that can benefit the community,” said Connie Drysdale, one of the organizers of the Branford Community Gardens committee.

“There are people who don’t have the space or the sunshine or the skills for a garden,” she said. “This is something meant to reach across cultural and economic backgrounds.”

Aspiring farmers have until April 15 to submit applications for a 20- by 20-foot plot. There is a $25 leasing fee per plot for the growing season. Click here for an application and additional information. If there are more applicants than available plots, then a lottery will be held.

The group will also sell some seedlings at a minimal cost — tomatoes, peppers and eggplant — while supplies last. The plots will be plowed by volunteers, and there will be a supply of manure and compost.

The plan received a boost when the Branford school board agreed at its March 19 meeting to provide land behind the old Pine Orchard School for the garden project. A survey will be conducted to determine how much space is available and how many plots can be created. The committee is also looking for additional sites around town.

The community gardens will be open to Branford families, individuals or groups — regardless of gardening experience. “We want ranges of ages, we want experienced gardeners and novices,” Drysdale said. “We want the experts to be able to pass along their knowledge.” In the future, organizers envision a program for students to teach them how to plant and to harvest crops.

The overall cost of the project has not been determined at this point. Most of the materials, including a tractor, have been donated. Drysdale said many in town wanted to volunteer, including town leaders and members of the Branford Garden Club.

“I think Branford is unique,” she said. “Of all the places I have lived, I haven’t felt the community spirit that is here in Branford.”

It isn’t just the economy that’s driving the need for the garden project, Drysdale said, there’s also a back-to-nature trend for people who want locally-grown foods.

Indeed, First Lady Michelle Obama has announced is planting a vegetable garden on the South Lawn of the White House this spring — the first since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden during World War II.

If the Branford gardens grow as quickly as the plans have, then it should prove to be a fertile season. The Branford Community Gardens committee formed in recent weeks when a group of enthusiastic volunteers got together at Drysdale’s home.

They include Frank Carrano, the chair of the Branford Board of Education, Eunice LaSala, the president of the Branford Community Foundation, Alex Palluzzi, the head of the town’s parks and recreation department, Steve DuHamel, a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission and Maryanne Hall, a writer and town volunteer.

Anyone wishing to volunteer or make donations may contact the committee by email at branfordctgardens@sbcglobal.net.

Although there are a number of community gardens in Connecticut, there aren’t any in Branford.

“It’s a very appealing idea,” Drysdale said. She doesn’t take credit for the plan, stating that several people have discussed community gardens over the years. “It was a situation waiting for someone to call a meeting. … I’m not the only person who thought about it, I’m just the person who called a meeting.”

Drysdale, who considers herself a gardener of average experience, loves to plant a small vegetable garden each year. “I’ve been dreaming about tomatoes,” she said wistfully.


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Posted by: lance [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 3, 2009 11:04 AM

does anybody mind if I follow the "Obama model?"

It works like this. I sit home all summer with the fan and air conditioning on while you all toil in the garden, tilling soil, weeding, watering, fertilizing. Then, when the veggies come, I'm entitled to some. You know, for the greater good and all.

Posted by: ctkeith | April 3, 2009 6:08 PM

Lance,

Being a Republican and a Bush supporter says to me that's exactly what you've been doing your entire miserable life.

Try getting your hands dirty once in a while.You may find in earning the results of your labor, instead of living on inherited wealth and then claiming you're a part of "the Productive class", quite a lesson

Posted by: Jay | April 4, 2009 2:04 PM

Lance,

If I am fortunate enough to get a plot this summer, and able to spend quality time toiling in the garden, tilling soil, weeding, watering, and fertilizing, then surely I will be willing to share some of my excess bounty with someone such as yourself. I have been hearing a lot about people like you lately, people who, without the motivation provided by an elimination of capital gains taxes, estate taxes, and truly progressive income taxes, just can't work up the energy to get off the couch and out of your air conditioned palaces. I really am bewildered as to why our president doesn't take more pity upon the rich, spoiled, and ungrateful members of our society.

Posted by: lance [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 5, 2009 9:38 PM

sorry folks, I scrubbed dishes at marra's restaurant at 15, washed dirty pots at whitney center in high school, sold shit on the phone for long wharf theater, dj'ed at bars and weddings, caught copious amounts of shoplifters at Ames on the boulevard and other places , pushed a police car and lawyered to get properly situated. worked full time and then some all through college and law school. And wasn't able to get a dime in grants because my grandpa who raised me always worked 70 hours a week at crappy paying jobs and saved every penny.

Oh, and I maintained a huge garden in the late 90's (while being a cop and going to law school), and often gave vegetables to the sister working at merit (now hess) at state and ferry and to the nice latino family at nino's on state and warren.

Meanwhile Obama got most of his stuff for free, off the backs of people like my grandpa and me....and to top it off I'm no longer Lance the guy who busted his ass to get a little somethng out of life, I'm now Lance the blue eyed devil to guys like jeremiah wright, louis farrakhan, and barack obama. Funny how things work out sometimes.


how about you keith, what's your deal?

Posted by: lance [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 7, 2009 4:56 AM

how about you jay....anything?

Posted by: Jay | April 7, 2009 9:17 AM

Lance,

Thanks for the biography. So, neither one of us were born with silver spoons... I never said you were. In general, your story does not surprise me, and your attitude seems fairly predictable given your environment and life experiences. Still, I can't ignore the fact that you took a good story about a worthwhile community building project and turned it into a political, economic, and possibly racist rant. Despite all that, you are STILL welcome to stop by "the plot", and I will gladly share some of my harvest with you.

Posted by: ctkeith | April 7, 2009 10:12 AM

Lance,

Sounds to me like you've been "on the dole" your entire life.

1) The Property taxes your family paid obviously didn't cover the cost of the PUBLIC EDUCATION you, your sister and any other siblings you had cost.

2) The first "real job" you had(cop) was paid for with taxpayer money and if I listen to your Republicamn Freinds you probably "STOLE MONEY by getting paid overtime while eating free donuts and drinking free coffee at Dunkin' Donuts (the never say doing extra work and sacrificing family time to earn enough income to support a family like I do)

3) you then went to a 4 yr college which was subsidized by tax dollars to the tune of about 50% and then to Law School for an additional 3 which recieves even a larger public subsidy.

Now,after those before you had the foresight to invest so much in you in all you seem to want to do is complain about taxes even though your tax rate today is less than half of those that were in your position 20-30 years ago.

Would you like a peice of cheese with your whine,Counsel?

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