Ideas Harvested: The Crewe Community Garden, Fall Update

It has been a growing season where more than herbs and vegetables have been harvested. The garden committee is evaluating what worked, what didn't and what new ideas are needed.

We have come a long way from just an idea, to 10 raised beds with different growers and a growing community. Vegetables from ochre to peppers to lettuce to tomatoes to cucumbers were successfully harvested. Some vegetables were for private use and some went to Crewe Cares food pantry. And some were harvested by unknown folks who happened by and picked food from the garden. No judgement, except this suggests a need to set up a basket for extra food designated as free to the community. And as government run food assistance is currently stonewalled, it becomes clear that community gardens can serve a higher purpose. In hard times, such as during wars, this country's individual Victory Gardens and community gardens stepped up to grow over 40% of this nation's produce. Perhaps the best model for food deserts is to come together to provide needed locally grown food instead of relying too heavily on government assistance programs, which can be used as leverage against political foes as we are witnessing. As a community, we have the power to provide much of our own needs. But it does take work. We can donate to food pantries and we can do community gardens. We have much to do to grow this one and encourage participation.

One of the purposes for our garden was education. Earlier in the growing season, several classes were taught and well attended, in how to grow and maintain a garden. These were taught be our local Extension program. And just last week, after a season of planting, growing, harvesting and drying many herbs from the Literacy Program's Herbal Tea Garden, I taught a class in preparing and blending your own Herbal Tea. This involved a little history and uses of herbal teas, both culinary and medicinally. And participants learned some of the qualities of different herbs as well as some additives like spices. And we rolled up our sleeves and blended several different examples of herbal tea to take home.

Some of the ingredients for our tea. And the Mortar and Pestle to help release the essential oils.

***And I want to let the community know, that I have extra lemongrass and scented basils to share. so come by my office in the Crewe Library, and I will cut some for you to take home, while supplies last, or a pending frost kills the plants. I suggest you come by very soon as temps are cooling off.

So right now, the committee is taking applications for gardeners for 2026. If you are interested, please email your interest to the Crewe Community Garden Committee :

crewecommunitygarden@gmail.com or call 434-538-0437 (Crewe Cares food pantry) for more information.

And to those who would like to be part of the committee, help fund raise, we would appreciate more community involvement...(There is certainly a need!) ...the next meeting is at the Crewe Library on January 15th, 2026 at 1:30PM. Hope to see you there!

And for more information and ideas about what a community garden can do for a community, please see this collection of articles and videos to give your brain some food for thought. (Pun intended.) I believe we have a start of something very special for this county. The secret sauce is a community coming together. Would you like to help?