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100 Mile Community Garden in need of volunteers

The South Cariboo Sustainability Society could use a few extra green thumbs.
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Peter Jarvis waters some newly planted plants destined for the community garden. (Photo submitted)

The South Cariboo Sustainability Society could use a few extra green thumbs to help tend to the 100 Mile Community Garden this summer.

The society, which has been tending to the garden for the past seven years, is seeking some help this month to clear and clean up the garden for this year’s crop.

Community gardener Peter Jarvis said they need to get some compost going, tend to the beds and clear away dead vegetation leftover from last year.

“Everyone around town is so generous with their donations but slightly less with their time to volunteer,” said Jarvis, a 108 Mile Ranch resident. “We’re always looking for volunteers to tend to the garden.”

The garden, located beside 100 Mile Elementary on Birch Avenue, is used to grow free food for the entire community and provides a pretty place to have lunch. Although there is a strong core group of society members who tend to the garden, they’re always looking to welcome more people to help out, Jarvis said. While students from the school do help, he said they haven’t been out as much as a result of the pandemic.

READ MORE: Starting small a good rule of a green thumb in gardening

Despite COVID-19, Jarvis said 2020 was a good year and 2021 is shaping up to be even better.

Both he and other society members have already begun to plant fruits and vegetables indoors in preparation for May when they plant them in the garden along with seeds for root crops.

“Over the years we’ve put some fencing around the edge, volunteers cut the grass and made more raised beds and now we must be up to 15 raised beds which we use to grow food that is free to anybody who needs it,” Jarvis said, adding any food left at harvest is donated to the food bank.

Jarvis said they’re also trying something new this year, suggested by society member Karen Johnson-Puckett.

Due to the pandemic, Seedy Saturday was once again cancelled this year making the exchange of seeds locally difficult. As a result, she suggested they have a seedbox at the garden where people can exchange seeds with a “give one, take one” honour system.

Anyone who would like to help them can contact the group via their Facebook page at South Cariboo Sustainability or call Jarvis at 250-791-7284.



patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net

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Patrick Davies

About the Author: Patrick Davies

An avid lover of theatre, media, and the arts in all its forms, I've enjoyed building my professional reputation in 100 Mile House.
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