A Gardening program is happening in Hopedale this summer.
Vanessa Gauntlette is the Community Food Worker based out of Hopedale.
Gauntlette updated us a little on her Gardening Program for the summer of 2023 and she mentions how excited she is to see everyone’s results and accomplishments.
So far this summer, under her Gardening Program in Hopedale, there are 16 gardens and 3 green houses that were self built but the individuals.
Vanessa mentioned that there is 1 successful chicken’s coup in Hopedale, with another just started out in hopes of good success as well.
Gauntlette recently went around to each individual gardens to get updated pictures to send out to the Nutrition North Subsidy, in hopes of receiving more funding to get supplies such as containers, soil, seeds just to name a few.
Gauntlette also mentioned that under her program, she offers different types of gardening, to meet the plants needs during all seasons of Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall, such as container gardening, Hydroponic gardening, green house gardening and outdoor gardening.
The hydroponic gardening was a successful type of gardening for her program, until COVID-19 hit, and affected how she was able to continue to keep the hydroponic plants cared for, but she is hopeful of having this a successful outcome in the coming fall and winter months.
Gauntlette started growing an apple tree, without success, then tried her luck with a lemon tree, and she says it’s sprouting as she expected. She also grew Basile with great success, and was happy to be able to give a few pieces with soil still attached, to keep growing to the community members.
Gauntlette and other Community Food Workers get to meet once a year, with in person meetings to update each other on how the programing is going, and she mentioned that so far, Hopedale has the highest success rate for gardening this year.