The feeling of excitement as you watch a seed become a ripe tomato, the satisfaction of harvesting fresh vegetables for that evening’s salad – Grenfell gardeners have embraced these garden experiences and more at the new community garden.

Ten plots have been prepared and planted near the Forest Centre at Grenfell Campus. The community garden is the work of a volunteer committee of people who gauged an increased interest on campus with locally-grown produce.

“We love the new garden,” said gardener Marie-Claude Renaud. “The whole family got their hands dirty doing the planting and we’re all excited to watch the vegetables of our labour grow over the summer. Since we’re all new to the game, it should be a great learning experience.”

You’ll find tomatoes, onions, carrots, peas, beans and sweet potatoes and more growing in the community garden. But according to Katie Temple, community garden committee member, people have chosen to participate for reasons beyond the desire for great produce.

“More and more people are aware of some of the challenges we are having in our food system – how far our food has to travel, how much food is processed, food safety concerns,” said Ms. Temple. “These issues are valid – there are increased concerns with a food supply that has become increasingly globalized and industrialized. People are also interested in hands-on work, seeing where their food is grown and teaching their children where food comes from."

There is a renewed interest in local foods, extending beyond buying from local farmers – people are craving the satisfaction that comes with eating food that they grow themselves, she said.