Madison Avenue Community Garden at Story Church

By Jennifer Schwelik

A lot has been going on at the Madison Avenue Community Garden @ Story.

In August, gardeners began harvesting tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, and more. We are blessed with a bountiful harvest despite the late garden planting. This year, there are nineteen plots with eighteen neighbors gardening in their plots and building connections.

Craig Crawford working on the garden root/cinder block removal.

Thanks to Tonya and Craig Crawford, an additional plot is ready for development next spring. Craig and his crew dug out roots, tree-of-heaven saplings, grapevines, cinder blocks, and assisted in ridding the area of spotted lantern flies.

We worked with our neighbors:

• Cheryl, who has provided raised bed corners and the vision for a pollinator garden in the newly established bed.

• Eziekiel, who is excited to join in the gardening effort in his yard next spring that is adjacent to the new bed.

• Jay, who not only has a bountiful vegetable garden plot, but is working with the gardening team to update the fence bordering two sides of the garden.

Gardeners and their families gathered for a Community Garden potluck and social on Friday, August 29. The evening included lots of sharing—both stories and delicious dishes. Gardeners are looking forward to fall/winter gardening updates and best practices.

If you are interested in learning more about gardening vegetables and native flowers or assisting in any way, please email Diab Dar-Issa, the garden leader, at garden@storychurchcle.org.

Questions? See Lorraine Riebel or Jennifer Schwelik!