ATHABASCA – Spring is (hopefully) here and with it comes the start of the growing season for local gardening enthusiasts.
The community garden, located behind the ARC building at Athabasca University, will be getting started soon, and with it comes a need for seeds, one the Alice B. Donahue Library is hoping to fill with the annual seed library.
“It’s an opportunity to share them people to otherwise wouldn’t have access to seeds or the ability to grow their own food,” said Ariel Johnson, Athabasca’s head librarian.
The library includes everything from pre-packaged seeds to heritage or heirloom seeds donated by local gardeners, which are non-genetically modified and naturally pollinated seeds taken from a previous year’s harvest.
“Some of them come from a plant that grows a fruit during the year, and that seed it produces can be put in the ground next year and it’ll grow the exact same copy of the plant,” said Lori Claerhout, an assistant librarian and member of the community garden.
‘Many hands make light work’
Like many charities in town, the community garden is run by a small board of dedicated individuals. David Poirier has been working in the garden since its second year and has since found himself – almost accidentally – president of the board in 2024.
“It’s nice to get together with like-minded people who like to garden,” said Poirier. “It’s like sports, if you’re around people who don’t like sports and you start talking it their eyes glaze over and that’s what gardening is as well.”
For many, the garden is a hobby as opposed to a full-time food source – Poirier said the plots just aren’t large enough – but that hasn’t stopped them from growing vegetables for the food bank each year.
“It’s an average north Albertan garden for sure, although I would say we do quite well considering,” said Poirier. “Our season is quite short but it’s surprising how things do in a three-month gardening season.
“As far as making a dent in your grocery bill, it’s always a trade-off between what it costs you to put in versus what you get out,” he added with a laugh. “Gardening isn’t free either.”
As of May 2, the garden is still accepting applications — interested parties can contact Marion Spencer via email at [email protected].
