Under the warmth of the sun, a garden party filled the newly built beds at the end of Overlook Street with edible plants.
Transition Prince Rupert’s community garden now bears carrots, rutabaga, onions, beets and so much more.
Taking the lead of the planting party on Sunday, Aug. 5, was Sarah Dantzer, a director of Transition Prince Rupert, who helped apply for the Imagine Grant from Northern Health, and who has been nurturing heirloom seeds in her home since May.
“It was roughly around then that my husband Jonathan and I began seeding plants,” Dantzer said.
READ MORE: Community garden in Prince Rupert takes shape
Last year, their family chased the solar eclipse and took part in a festival that had a permaculture tent where they taught courses on gardening.
At the end of the festival, the organizers filled a couple tables at the back of the tent with heirloom seeds — seeds that are open-pollinated, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and an old variety of the plant. These are the seeds Dantzer is using in the city’s second community garden.
The Overlook Community Garden is the first for residents living on the east end of town. Transition Prince Rupert also helps maintain the garden at Mckay Street Park. But there’s growing interest to have more community gardens in other neighbourhoods.
Jennifer Nelson took part in the planting party to learn more.
“This isn’t my neighbourhood but I wanted to come over today and lend a hand and learn what it took to get this development to happen, because I live in another part of town and I’d really like to try and launch [another] community garden in my neighbourhood as well,” she said.
For more information on the how to set up a community garden in your neighbourhood contact Sarah Dantzer sarahdantzer89@gmail.com.
READ and WATCH MORE: Mckay Street Park breaks ground
shannon.lough@thenorthernview.com
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