In 2020, a group of community organizations in the Kearsarge region of New Hampshire came together to address food insecurity and mental health concerns exacerbated by the pandemic and created the FEED (Food Expansion, Education, Distribution) Kearsarge initiative. Under this collaborative umbrella, we launched the Tray it Forward program to distribute seedling trays to families in need, followed by gardening education to help folks reclaim the knowledge of how to grow their own food and connect with nature and community through gardening.
Warner resident Meg is a two-year Tray It Forward veteran. Meg’s garden consists exclusively of containers, with some clever repurposing of large plastic bins included. She has moved frequently and has a collection of green storage tubs which she repurposed for her veggie garden by drilling holes in the bottom. With the extensive rains we have had this year, she’s considering drilling holes in the sides, too! As a bonus, Meg plans to put the lids on the containers and move them inside over the winter to extend her investment for next season.
Meg reports that her 2021 Tray It Forward gardening experience is much improved over 2020. Of course, she learned from last years’ experience, but Meg also did her homework over the winter with lots of container growing research, observing the suns’ pattern over her garden space, and realizing that protection from the wind was important where her containers are situated. Meg also took to heart the advice she was given when her tray of seedlings was delivered in May. “Container size matters and so does the quality of the soil. I was grateful to receive compost with this years’ tray and I decided to make my investment in soil,” shared Meg. She also said that the booklet from Professor Leon Malan and the Colby-Sawyer group that was provided with the seedlings was hugely helpful, as are the weekly newsletters that are emailed to her.
Based on her Tray It Forward container gardening experience, Meg has a few tips to pass along. She’s using torn old soft sheets to serve as ties for veggies that need to be staked. She purchased a bag of inexpensive plastic knives from a dollar store to use as plant markers. Meg is also learning what nutrients plants need and is feeding her tomatoes and eggplants weekly. She’s using dried chicken manure that she purchased at the hardware store but cautions anyone about leaving that product overnight in your car!
Meg’s research and care has certainly paid off for her second year of Tray It Forward. Her terraced container garden is a work of art that would be the envy of farmers and gardeners anywhere! She plans to put what she’s learned into further improvements next year. Part of Meg’s research led her to follow Colette O'Neill at Bealtaine Cottage in Ireland on YouTube. Based on Colette’s advice, Meg plans to grow lettuce in hanging containers in 2022 that she will put along the fencing she uses as wind protection.
As our visit with Meg was coming to a close, she noted that she hadn’t seen any monarch butterflies this summer while she was quoting Colette O’Neill, sharing, “When you plant with Mother Earth magical things happen.” On queue, a monarch landed on a cone flower in Meg’s garden.
Written by friend and community all-star Dorothy Jeffrey
Thank you, Dorothy!