The Common Ground Community Gardens project invites interested gardeners and volunteers to its planning meeting Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Good Sam’s Food Pantry, 30 N. Beech Street in Cortez.
Common Ground runs two existing community gardens in Cortez and provides support for a production garden in Dolores, which serves the Dolores Family Project and relies on volunteer labor.
The two gardens in Cortez, at the Cortez Recreation Center and at 517 E. Third St., will have plots available for gardeners this spring.
Information will be available for opportunities at the new Dolores Community Garden in Joe Rowell Park.
The meeting will be informational and participatory, with details on how to reserve a plot for the 2023 growing season as well as big-picture discussion on growing the community garden movement.
Participants can be involved in setting the goals for the year and gauging interest in starting up new gardens at existing pocket parks in Cortez. A seed exchange and volunteer opportunities will be available.
Experienced gardeners will be in attendance to provide information, and representatives from the city of Cortez plan to attend.
The Rec Center garden has demonstration garden for teaching, produces food for the Good Sam’s Food Pantry, a children’s garden and 18 community plats to rent to Montezuma County residents. Compost bins, hoses, a tool shed and a wash station are available for gardener use. Individual plots are $7 per year, medium plots are $12 per year, and family plots are $15 per year.
Produce from the demonstration garden at the Rec Center is donated to the Good Samaritan Food Pantry, including 331 pounds in 2020, 265 pounds in 2019 and 205 pounds in 2018.
The Third Street Garden started in 2022 at the pocket park at 517 E. Third St.
There are 11 total plots, with 10 plots available for residents to rent. One plot is reserved as a demonstration/children's garden. There will be compost bins, hoses and a tool chest for gardener use. Plot preference is given to neighborhood residents. Individual plots are $5 per year, medium plots are $10 per year and family plots are $15 per year.
To learn more, visit commongroundcortez.org or email commongroundcortez@gmail.com.
For information on the Dolores garden, contact organizers at dolores.community.garden@gmail.com, or visit their Facebook page.
If you experience food insecurity, visit Good Sam's Food Pantry at the corner of North and Beech streets every Tuesday through Friday from noon to 2 p.m. and on Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
