The Sexsmith Community Garden is highlighting some tips and tricks for sustainable harvesting for residents who choose to utilize the garden for their produce needs.
The garden is a shared space within the community of Sexsmith, which the Wellness Coordinator for the Town of Sexsmith Melody Sample says is taken care of by a number of community groups and individuals, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration in the municipality.
Sample says because the garden is shared among residents, some rules are necessary to ensure the space remains well taken care of while being sustained all summer long.
“We realize that a lot of people who use the community garden may not know how to pick a garden, maybe they haven’t had a garden, maybe they’re beginner gardeners, so some people don’t realize they can, let’s say, cut lettuce, and it will grow back again versus pulling it from the root so it’s done for the year,” she says. “The garden is open to the community to go pick, so we realize anyone can go anytime, but we ask that they only take what they can eat that day, you can always come back.”
To ensure fresh produce is available for everyone who wants it, Sample suggests bringing a pair of scissors when you go to pick, to use on veggies such as lettuce, kale, and green onions as they will continue growing after they are harvested. Additionally, Sample says bringing a small container or bag to bring your harvest home is recommended as well.
“That way you can bring home your radishes and your snipped lettuce, so you’ve got something to carry them with,” she says.
Curious potential gardeners are also encouraged to look into the town’s “beginner gardening classes” in May, where you can learn the basics of sustainable planting, nurturing, and harvesting in a community garden.
“We actually use those classes to start the planting of the garden, and then we open it up for people who want to come plant with us,” she says.
Additionally, Sample says that the garden is planted for the season during the classes in May, so it is important to harvest only what you can eat on a nightly basis.
