It Takes A Village To Raise A Garden

By Sharon Shaw, owner and designer of Martin Shaw, LLC, Landscape Design & Construction - Compiled by Christine Erice, Assistant Editor, LC/DBM

To create an organic garden, a soil test was conducted and revealed ''below optimum'' levels of calcium, so eggshells and bone meal were added. At-grade beds were covered with composted leaf mulch. Weed and plant debris were composted onsite for use next season. Photo Credit: MaryLee Chittick

Sharon Shaw, co-owner and designer of Martin Shaw Landscape Design & Construction realized there was a need for a local garden in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, when she saw the large amount of processed food being given out at the Bucks County Housing Group's food pantry, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping feed hungry families. Shaw didn't waste any time assembling the community to help her build an organic garden. She hit the dirt and started tilling.

The garden was 140x35-feet. Beds were staggered to maximize absorption of downhill rainfall. Three-foot paths were installed in between. 4x10-foot beds held bush crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, crucifers and peppers. 10x10-foot beds held vine species (Ipomoea quamoclit and Ipomoea purpurea). Photo Credit: Sharon Shaw, owner/designer, Martin Shaw

''Fresh produce is needed and appreciated by [food pantry] organizations and their clients,'' says Shaw. ''Fresh vegetables can be grown almost anywhere with only a few resources and a minimum investment, but have huge positive impacts on health,'' Shaw added.

Inspired by the idea that unused land can be transformed to provide beauty, education and food, Shaw approached the pastor at Doylestown Mennonite Church about using a piece of the church's land to plant a garden. The trustees and congregation welcomed the idea and the Sandy Ridge Community garden was born.

Sharon Shaw (bottom, left) helps volunteers gather potatoes for harvest; a donation that yielded 21 pounds of fresh food. Cole crops included: Carrots, beets, swiss chard and crucifers such as cabbage and kale continued to produce into the Fall season. Photo Credit: Sharon Shaw, owner/designer, Martin Shaw

Shaw put an announcement in the local paper asking community members interested in building a garden to meet for a brainstorming session. Armed with ideas from the meeting, the community agreed to raise a communal-style garden, donating at least 50 percent of the produce to local food pantries. Within several weeks, Martin Shaw Landscape Design & Construction had tilled the ground and secured supplies such as seed and seedling donations from local businesses. Community volunteers had amended, fenced and filled the space with tomatoes, potatoes, onions, greens, beans, squash, melons and herbs. Their progress was tracked and covered by several local media outlets bringing in even more volunteers and donations.

Nearly 90 percent (almost 900 pounds!) of the harvest was donated to the Bucks County Housing Group's food pantry. Shaw was inspired by how people came together to make a positive impact on the health of hungry families. The idea of community gardens is spreading and Shaw hopes to continue her work. ''The garden is a way to cultivate friendship, cooperation, training, interest and a bounty for community members in all walks of life,'' Shaw concluded.