Wilbraham Community Garden
Grant Program:
Small Grants
Grant Type:
Other Grants
Grant amount requested:
2,500.00
Please provide a brief description of the project for which you seek funding.
We applied for and received a grant from Community Preservation to establish new areas for garden plots within our existing Community Garden. We are now seeking funds to prepare the soil for planting. The area was recently full of invasive plant species enveloping large dead trees. The vines were so thick around the trees that the only way to remove them was to completely cut the trees down and remove them. The newly cleared land will need to be tilled under and plowed in addition to removing the larger rocks. The Community Garden has a great core of volunteers but this task would be far too labor intensive without the proper equipment. The equipment needed would include a bulldozer, backhoe and a grader to first remove the stumps, then fill in the holes and finally regrade the parcel for future garden space.
Primary Issue Area:
Food
Please break-down/categorize the program expenses:
Whom does your group need to make this project happen?
Please explain how your group will engage members from your community in this project.
The Wilbraham Community Garden has been active since 1975. I have been the garden coordinator for the past 5 years. Within that five years, I have managed to reach out to the community and expand the garden every year since. During that time we went from 10-15 gardeners to over 60 gardeners currently. The core group of volunteers have helped trim brush, cut trees, pick rocks, paint the garden shed, build ADA accessible raised beds and cut grass. As we grow every year, the surrounding communities have followed suit and modeled their community gardens after ours.
If your group receives a NEGEF Grow grant, how do you plan to pay for remaining expenses?
| $ Amount | Source |
|---|---|
| $25.00 | Yearly fee for a garden plot that is 25' x 50' |
Please list these materials or services
Please describe what changes will occur in your community and its environment when your group's project is successful.
By preparing the newly cleared land, we will be creating another acre of open space for gardens. We currently have approximately 4 acres of garden plots full to capacity from one end to the other with farmers growing crops not only for themselves and their families but for the local food banks in neighboring towns.
Please list how many people in your community your group expects to actively engage in this project.
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