LAKEHURST – The beds are ready for gardening.
The borough has two 25-foot by 75-foot raised beds, fenced in at Public Works, for residents to use for organic gardening this summer season. Those beds will be watered by a hydrant that sits nearby. They will be divided by lots, or by first-come, first-serve, Councilman James Davis said. They’ll cordon off the plots and assign numbers to residents.
“Residents can grow flowers, vegetables, whatever they’re inclined,” Davis said. The gardens will be organic, with no chemical pesticides or growers permitted.
The idea for a community garden was raised by Davis, who saw the idea online.
“I saw it on social media where a small town had what they called their victory garden, their community garden, and the excess food went to food pantries. The school was involved in teaching kids sustainable processes and growing your own food,” Davis said.
He put that idea out to council last year, and said the idea came to fruition this year. They “found the money” to make it happen. The fencing was put up at the same time the borough’s new impound yard was fenced. The borough used as much found material, and only spent money on the lumber to make the beds. The topsoil came from the county. Davis said he wasn’t sure how much it cost, but it was a minimal outlay.
“It seemed like a no-brainer to try to get this off the ground,” he said.
Residents are responsible for tending their plot of the beds—seeds and seedlings, weeding, and harvesting—and returning them to their original state at the end of the season, likely the end of September. There’s no cost to join the community garden, and no obligation to donate anything grown.
Plot sizes will be dependent upon how many residents sign up to use the garden. Davis hopes to have some residents ready to plant in June.
Davis would like residents to take an active role in managing the garden. He urged residents to contact borough hall to not only sign up to use the garden, but to help form a citizen committee to carry out the garden’s mission, problem solve, and manage the garden.
For more information, call borough hall at 732-657-4141.
