Thanks to the efforts of a group of hard-working student volunteers from Warren Wilson College, the Swannanoa Community Garden (located at 105 Lanier Lane in Grovemont) is all spruced up and ready for another growing season. Working under the direction of FANS Board Member Anne Chesky and Garden Manager Sandy Drake, the Warren Wilson students placed barrier and spread mulch to create a lower maintenance path along the street-facing edge of the garden. They also cleared the fence edge of the garden to create composting areas and spread organic matter to amend and enrich the garden soil.

The volunteers deserve special accolades for accomplishing so much with so little. The wheelbarrow we were expecting to be donated had not yet been repaired, so our undaunted student volunteers moved mulch and leaves with tools and empty garbage cans!

Friday, March 30 proved to be a “harrowing” day in the garden. Rain had held off for five whole days. At last the plowed soil could be harrowed and the garden made ready for planting– just one day after the volunteers completed their labors. Since then the plot boundaries have been marked. We’re expecting a bulletin board to be installed at the garden shed where we’ll post a map showing paid and assigned plots, as well as plots that remain available. We welcome garden plot shoppers to stop by and stake a claim in the Community Garden. Plots of various sizes are available for a nominal fee to help cover expenses.

Interested parties should contact Garden Manager Sandy Drake, at 581-9020. The Swannanoa Community Garden is sponsored by Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS) and is supported entirely by donations and volunteer labor. If you’d like to help by giving time, money, tools, or supplies, please contact Sandy. Happy gardening!