» Coos County Master Gardeners donate to community gardens

Friday, July 03, 2009 | No comments posted. The Coos County Master Gardeners Association recently gave three individual $500 donations to local community gardens under construction located in Bandon, Coquille and Powers.

These new community gardens are satellite gardens of the South Coast Community Garden Association that was established in 2005 as a nonprofit Oregon corporation. Its purpose is to grow foods, provide community education about gardening, and provide and manage a site for individuals within their communities to grow food for their own personal use.

The Coquille and Bandon gardens are in the process of being established this spring and the funds will be used for basic needs which include the purchase of lumber for raised beds, plumbing for water systems, and the necessary soil and fertilizer. The Bandon garden, now known as the Good Earth Garden, will have eight raised beds for the elderly (wheelchair accessible) and 12 raised beds for community gardeners, an experimental area and a section for native plants.

The Powers Community Garden was established last year and the donation will be used to expand their Dig In and Worm World gardens.  Property for the Dig In garden was donated by Maryann Babb and Craig Rector. Worm World property was donated by Albert Powers. These gardens were started to promote community involvement and working towards building the community together. The gardens have raised beds and plant a row program for the hungry. Landscaping has been done with native plants purchased from the Powers High School program.

Established community gardens are located in Coos Bay, known as Ladybug Landing, and at Lakeside City Hall.

The donations by the Coos County Master Gardeners are made possible by the funds raised at its annual plant sale held every year, according to organizers.