Garden location

The community garden is located on the property of the Anderson Farm Museum (550 Regional Rd 24), in the town of Lively.

Contact

Name: Leigh Anne Cecchetto
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Walden Community Garden

Type of garden

We are a benevolent garden, meaning that we are organized to do good things for our community.  The garden is a place for shared learning, community gathering, and food growing! The produce we grow is for the volunteers and a portion is shared weekly with the Foodbank. We welcome anyone who wants to join our team, regardless of prior experience with gardening.

Configuration

We currently have two raised beds, several in-ground plots, and a small food forest. We also have fruit trees planted in various locations on the property.

Gardening

This garden is planned, planted, harvested, and maintained by volunteers. When possible, students in local schools grow from seed, and assist with planting and maintaining the garden .

We aim to follow ecological and restorative gardening practices which means working with, not against, nature to achieve a beautiful, sustainable garden. We practice this by adhering to a ‘no-till’ approach in order to preserve the natural soil structure. We also make use of cover crops (such as clover, thyme and strawberries) in the perennial garden, and we use succession crops, crop rotation, and lots of mulch throughout the season. We are always open to learning and implementing new practices.

Cost to participate

Free

Produce and Plants

There are several beds and plantings, where we grow various vegetables, herbs, as well as fruit plants and fruit trees. Some plants called annuals are started from seed or we use seedlings. Other plants are perennial (e.g. asparagus, rhubarb, thyme, fruits, trees/shrubs, etc.)

Amenities

Water source: We have two water sources, both rain catchment and municipal water. To use the hose (which is attached to the house), volunteers can turn on the water tap on the north side of the farm house, and are asked to put the hose away after each use. We also have two rain barrels to help conserve water and facilitate watering. There is generally a watering can stored beside the rain barrels.
Composting: 3 wooden compost bins, for plant waste only! We ask volunteers to turn the compost frequently.

Washrooms: Located inside the stable, they are available only during museum hours, or special events. Covid-19 restrictions may prevent the use of the washrooms.

Accessibility

We are adding signage in our gardens, to help identify plants as well as explain plant care or method of harvesting.

We have 2 raised beds, which assist those who may have difficulty bending to reach in ground plots.  

There are several lawn chairs stored beside the shed that are easily moved to allow sitting while working, or to simply enjoy the tranquility of the garden.

Currently, our gardens are surrounded by grass, which can make accessibility an issue for those with different mobility needs.  

We are striving to improve accessibility as we build our garden.

Volunteers

We are seeking volunteers to help with expanding the gardens, planting in the spring, watering and weeding during the summer, and harvesting periodically to bring to the Walden Food Bank.

Our Sponsors and Friends of the Garden

  • Walden Home Hardware
  • Pinehill Lumber
  • Walden Lions Club
  • Walden Seniors and Pensioners Woodshop
  • Anderson Farm Museum
  • City of Greater Sudbury