Community garden sprouts in second year

The Custer community garden has seen a reasonable amount of success in the number of people participating its second year, but has progressed significantly in terms of quality as a garden. 

Jim Rodoni is a member of the Custer Community Garden Committee and has had had plots both years the garden has been organized. He said that of the 44 plots, 38 were being utilized by community members.

“I’ve heard that it’s great, people are really enjoying it,” Rodoni said.

The community garden came into existence last year when several community members worked together to form a garden committee. They worked with the city to upgrade a small plot of ground on the west side of town, fencing it off and providing irrigation. Each plot is 20’ by 20’ and costs $25 to rent for the year.

Bob Morrison, Custer’s Director of Public Works, works with the committee on the city’s side of the fence, but is not actively involved in the garden itself. He said that though garden does not make money any money for the city, it does not really lose any money either.

“It’s about a break-even deal,” Morrison said.

Though the number of plots used is comparable to last year, the individual gardens are all performing much better than last year. Undeveloped soil, early frost, and plentiful grasshoppers all caused problems for green thumbs last year; this year, gardeners are having more luck.

“Everything is doing much better this year,” said garden committee member Anita Swanson, “and it’s going to keep getting better every year.”

Swanson believes the garden is good for the community because it allows many people to garden that would not otherwise have the space to do so.

Garden committee member Kim Ball enjoys using the garden to help teach her son, Riley, age 2, about plants and nature.

“It’s good for kids, to be able to pick a carrot and eat it,” Ball said.

Both Swanson and Ball frequently take their children with them when they tend to their plots. There is even a plot set aside specifically for kids, where they decide what to grow and are responsible for maintaining it.

Ball also likes the fact that the garden is organic.

“We’re one of few community gardens that are completely organic, and our garden is doing very well,” Ball said. “It’s a testament to organic gardening.”

A few people do use more than one plot, but that option is only available if there are open lots after a certain date. Rodoni started out with only one plot, but he took over one nearby when the person who used it last year decided to not to have a plot this year.

“It was in such good shape from last year,” Rodoni said, “it seemed like a waste to just let it go.”