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HILLCREST
COMMUNITY GARDEN Since 2012 Hillcrest UC has shared part of its land as a community garden at no cost to the gardeners. Each spring manure is spread, the land rototilled and ~20 designated plots labelled. Advertisements on Facebook, the Eastern Graphic, and the church bulletin bring eager gardeners. Hoses from the church building provide water, a few gardening tools are available in a garden shed and a compost heap is growing steadily. In 2021 an expansion began with rototilling a new piece of ground and seeding buckwheat which was plowed in later to enrich the soil. While most plots are tended by only one person, sometimes people share a plot, for example Hillcrest’s UCW, Mental Health PEI, The Kings County Food Bank, the Montague Library, and our Sunday School. Some plots even won awards from local beautification charities (Montague’s Library and PEI Mental Health). Currently Lenore and Roger Andrew with others oversee our community gardens |
2022- UPDATE
This past summer and fall, with many thanks for funding from the Island Community Food Security Initiative, church volunteers purchased, assembled, installed a new garden storage shed, a weatherproof message centre, a wheelbarrow, garden forks, hoes and hoses. Edgar Dewar built shelving and a ramp for the new shed as well as a very sturdy double composter. He also tilled up a new section of garden where folks can grow perennials like rhubarb, strawberries and berry bushes. Lenore and Roger Andrew, our intrepid Garden Guardians, worked tirelessly with gardeners to ensure all their needs were met. The Hillcrest Community Garden is available on a first come first served basis to anyone who wants to try their hand at gardening. Full plots (420 sq ft) or half plots are available. The plots are tilled and fertilized. Water hoses and gardening tools are provided. A public announcement to register for plots will be made in the early spring of 2023. |