If we had driven by this site a year and a half earlier, none of this would have been here. On a recent trip to look at the Delaware Center for Horticulture in Wilmington, Delaware, we had an opportunity to walk among the vegetables and herbs in Wilmington's first urban farm. It is the neighborhood gathering place at 12th and Brandywine to talk about the day's activities, share gardening advice and find out what's new in the neighborhood.
The garden evolved from a group forming called the Wilmington Urban Farm Coalition. Made up of a diverse group of local farmers, community members, nonprofit professionals and goverment officials, the group's vision was pretty straight forward. They were looking to create a model for teaching low-income residents about raising and selling healthy food in their own neighborhoods. According to an article in The Gardener, Delaware Center for Horticulture, Fall 2009, "More than 50 volunteers built 19 raised beds and filled them with rich topsoil and compost." What we saw in these beds was an abundance of green and vegetables that were at least three weeks behind our Charleston gardens.
The frames serve as compost bins where non-seeding weeds, garden debris and any other organic scraps can be composted down and returned to the soil.
There are two major areas in the garden. Plots for neighborhood families and a general growing areas for the community.
Comments
This is fantastic. The crops look so healthy. Charleston could do this!
Thanks for taking such great photos while you were here, Jim. Is there any chance that you would be willing to share your shots in high rez with TheDCH?
By Wendy Scott on Aug 23rd, 2010