Growth is a common term used in spring. For many, it refers to budding trees and flowers, while others may think of joyful sounds of children once again playing outdoors.
But for gardeners, including those planting in the Havre de Grace community gardens, growth has been in the works for months. There has been planning, starting seedlings and preparing soil for the harvests. This is a very energetic time where everyone's senses are heightened after being stuck indoors all winter. The smell of fresh tilled dirt and the cold feeling it leaves on the hands only warms the body more.
Off Route 155, by way of Graceview Avenue, behind the Havre de Grace Community Center on Lagaret Lane, the Old Reservoir Community Garden (OuR Community Garden) is very close to the Vulcan Materials Company's Havre de Grace Quarry. For many of the gardeners, the garden atop the hill is their little piece of heaven, with an amazing view of where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay. "OuR" Community Garden's view would not be possible without the Green Team's partnership with Vulcan Materials Company and the City of Havre de Grace.
For many, it might seem like an odd partnership for a quarry and a Green Team to coalesce. Vulcan, however, is a very green centered company. One of Vulcan's core principles is to "be responsible stewards with respect to safety and the environmental impact of our operations and products."
Over the last three years, Vulcan has donated many resources, including provisioning and painting a base to the garden water tank, building a beautiful garden storage shed, mounting the garden sign and providing the rocks and sand for the initial 16 garden plots and parking spots.
Vulcan Materials Company has stepped up again and is helping the Green Team expand the Old Reservoir Community Garden by providing garden stone and sand for drainage to add another eight 10-by-10-foot plots. This expansion will enable the Havre de Grace Green Team to host more families in growing their own food and giving back to their community what extras they have.
Vulcan Materials Company, the Havre de Grace Green Team and the City of Havre de Grace continue to enable citizens to realize the joys of growing food and use our environment in a sustainable manner. To join the Havre de Grace Green Team in its expansion of their community gardens, obtain a garden application at the City of Havre de Grace City Hall, the Havre de Grace Library or on its website, www.hdggreenteam.org.