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Wednesday, June 1, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Garden embodies spirit of community
By Ruthie Douglas
Correspondent
The Sisters Community
Garden is a nonprofit orga-
nization, founded in 2006,
to foster community connec-
tions, provide Sisters-area
residents an opportunity to
grow fresh produce, and make
excess produce available
to the local food bank. The
garden flourished for seven
years at its original location
on Adams Avenue. When
that property was no longer
available, the search began
for a new location. After
months of inquiries around
the community, airport own-
ers Benny and Julie Benson
stepped forward and provided
a plot of land on Barclay
Drive.
What followed was a
complete transformation of
14,000 square feet of dirt,
rocks, and weeds. Marvin
Benson, Benny’s father,
played a key role in turn-
ing the barren space into an
inviting and promising food
basket. Months were spent
moving dirt, digging post-
holes, hammering nails, run-
ning pipe, pulling weeds, and
spreading wood chips. With
help from volunteers, Benson
erected perimeter fencing,
installed an irrigation sys-
tem and constructed raised
beds.
At the end of the 2012
growing season, gardeners
moved a storage shed, an
old covered wagon, plants,
and even some topsoil from
the former garden to the
new location near the Sisters
Eagle Airport. Currently there
are some 49 raised beds plus
two elevated beds at wheel-
chair height. There are shared
plots designated for herbs
while apple trees and flow-
ers grow along the fence
line. Marvin credits com-
munity partners who helped
make it all possible, includ-
ing Sisters Rental, Robinson
& Owen Heavy Construction,
K&D Shavings, Tim Clasen,
Marshall Electric, Hawk’s
Haven Reserve and Benny
and Julie Benson.
Last year, due to the
generosity of the Bensons,
Sisters Garden Club, Sisters
Rotary Club, the estate of
Anne Keith, and a grant from
the City of Sisters, a first-rate
greenhouse was constructed.
It is the envy of Central
Oregon. The High Desert
poses many challenges for
gardeners, and the use of a
greenhouse provides a tre-
mendous advantage.
An elected board of direc-
tors oversees the operation of
the garden and all gardeners
who pay an annual fee ($50
4x20 raised bed; $30 4x10)
are members. There are plenty
of tools, topsoil, compost,
and manure provided for use.
The garden is organic and
only natural, organic materi-
als may be used to fertilize
and control pests. Members
are committed to practic-
ing good stewardship of
resources, and this past
year the board voted to
remove all overhead water-
ing in an effort to conserve
water.
During the next several
months there will be a flurry
of activity in the Garden:
• Angelena Bosco, a mem-
ber of the garden, will offer
cooking demonstrations.
• A “Lunch in the Garden”
fundraiser will be held on
July 7, during the annual
Sisters Garden Club “Quilts
in the Garden” tour. Benji
Nagel will provide music.
• A celebration evening
including music by The Anvil
photo courtesy sisters coMMunity Garden
Garden cooking classes are held at the garden.
Blasters will be held as an
occasion to say thank you to
all who have made the garden
possible.
• On August 20, the gar-
den will host an evening of
food and music by Honey
Don’t as a fundraiser for a
local charity.
In many ways, this garden
embodies the spirit of com-
munity. It was built by the
generosity and hard work
of this community. It fosters
community amongst garden-
ers and visitors. And it feeds
the community; for the past
three years, the garden has
contributed over 300 pounds
of fresh produce to local food
banks.
This year there is a
tree-lined bike path along
Barclay Drive providing a
safe route between the gar-
den and town. And gardening
next to the airport provides
unexpected entertainment;
where else can you watch
colorful parachutes drop
from the sky while planting
peas?
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