Sisters Community Garden breaks ground at new location

With shovels in hand, more than 20 friends and volunteers were on hand for the groundbreaking of the new Sisters Community Garden, soon to be located on a site at the Sisters Airport.

After being located on Adams Avenue and Larch Street in town for the past several years, the organizers began to look for a new location after the owners of the land put the property up for sale.

"The property has been up for sale for a long time," said Pamela Burry, Sisters Community Garden volunteer. "First Habitat had it, and when Habitat had it, they were kind enough and great to us to let us stay there, and then it sold, and then the new owner wanted to sell as well, but it was all great until then. But there's been a panic ... to find a new location, and the Bensons have been so great and they're excited to have us here."

"My son Benny Benson, who owns the airport, donated the land for the new garden," said Marvin Benson. "I told him we needed some room for a community garden, and he said 'take what you want.' I like community gardens, and was part of a great one in the Denver area when I moved here four years ago. This is a perfect spot, we have water here, people are donating equipment, graders, all kinds of stuff."

The current location has 42 plots. The new location will be somewhat larger and offer plots in configurations from four by 10, to four by 20 feet long, renting from $15 per year. Many of the members dedicate their gardens and the produce from them to the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank. There will also be "community beds" where people will be able to come in and get food.

"Really the purpose of a big production is bigger donations to the food bank," said Burry. "We feel really partnered with them, so we want to participate more there, we really need to participate more there."

The size of the new location will be 100-by-150-feet, which is slightly larger than the current location and will accommodate larger raised beds with drip systems. Being in an open area at the airport, a berm around the perimeter of the garden with trees to create a windbreak is a part of the new location's plans.

A goal of the garden members is to establish a garden that fosters community connections among all Sisters residents. To that end the Sisters Community Garden is open to everyone in the community.

For more information contact Cindy Standen at [email protected] or call 541-549-9366.