Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MAY 9-15, 2018 UCW 11 With the help of support- ers, Dr. Scott Cameron, Amanda Christianson, Jim Schaffer and Sally Augustine raised funds to buy several undeveloped lots in their Sa- voy Heights neighborhood. Passionate about helping people and getting to know others in their community, they are bringing Friendship Gardens to fruition. Friend- ship Gardens will be a sus- tainable community garden where neighbors can get their hands dirty while getting to know each other. "It will be a network of neighbors getting to know each other for our similarities and our differences" said Christianson. "Neighbors will be helping to build a community within a community while being inclusive." e Friendship Gardens are locat- ed at 427 Bryan St. in Fayetteville. ree connected lots were pur- chased with two others close by. Plans are for 45 5-by-10-foot raised garden plots. e detached lots will be planted with fruit trees to create a mini orchard and will also contain some berry bushes and grape vines. Currently, the land is overgrown with trees, vines and brush. e city of Fayetteville is working to remove all the debris and overbrush from the property. "ere have already been four truck loads. And there is more," Christianson said. e new nonprofit is seeking volunteers to continue to clear the lot of the overgrowth and years of litter and garbage that have collected on the land. While preference will be given to residents in the Savoy Heights neigh- borhood, anyone in Fayetteville can lease a lot for $25 per year. e hope is that people will eat more fresh fruits and vegetables grown in their own gardens instead of processed or packaged foods. e gardens can also provide an affordable alterna- tive for families on limited budgets to eat more nutritiously. For those unable to afford the annual lease fee, partial scholarships are available. Friendship Gardens will be a community of neighbors. Members will be expected to follow garden rules. ere will be a "tool pool" where garden tools will be available to use. While not mandatory, one can expect to spend two or three hours per week to help clear path- ways and common areas. e organizers of Friendship Gardens are also huge supporters of the Friendship House Fayetteville. ey created Friendship Gardens as a nonprofit 501c3 organization with a distinct mission but also to be a sister organization to Friendship House Fayetteville. Friendship House Fayetteville works alongside young adults with intellectual and developmental dis- abilities and their families to provide intentional, transitional living. e idea is to have day programming for Friendship House Fayetteville on the detached property. e young adults will learn skills to plant gardens and grow their own food. Once the garden produces a surplus, another idea is to create a farmer's market. ose young adults will be able to learn how to sell the produce to the public. ey will expand their horizons learning money management, inventory man- agement and communication skills. Christianson said volunteering in the Friendship Gardens will be a fantastic opportunity for individu- als or groups to learn to plant and manage a garden. Home-schoolers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or any civic or Church group is welcome to take part. ey can lease their own garden, volunteer with upkeep or help those who are unable to work in their own gardens. Christianson said, "e experi- ence will be invaluable. We are a society of conveniences. With online ordering and communicat- ing through screens, we no longer teach our kids how to grow our own food or communicate in person." She also hopes that FSU or FTCC will get involved to offer classes or lectures on horticulture to the com- munity gardeners. Christianson said she expects the first seeds to be planted in late sum- mer or early fall. Much work is left to be done. And money is still needed to drill a water well, as there are no city hook ups. Visit w w w.fcgfaync.org for more information. Meet me in the garden by CHARLES BOSWORTH NEWS CHARLES BOSWORTH, Reporter. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. Advertising Grow Your Business For effective advertising, Call 910.484.6200 today! www.upandcomingweekly.com