In just a few months, Folly’s Community Garden sprouts into reality
By Lorne Chambers | Editor
Not long ago, when Folly Green Team was first established, one of its many initiatives was to create a community garden, where full-time residents could lease one of 16 4’x8’ raised bed plots and grow vegetables and flowers. With the help of the City of Folly Beach and the Folly Beach Exchange Club, the Green Team procured a sizeable plot suitable for this endeavor on West Michigan Avenue just east of Sandbar Lane. The Green Team has a 10-year lease on the space.
In September of last year, Green Team members and garden co-managers Teresa Marshall and Nancy Smith leapt into action and began turning their vision into a reality. With a lot of help from local master gardener Becky Greene and Folly business owner Adam Berens of Cultivated Landscapes and from the city’s maintenance crew, the garden was a fast success, with all plots being claimed by eager green thumbs and a plethora of veggies popping up from every box. According to Marshall and Smith, Berens donated his time and equipment to build the boxes and the fence surrounding the garden, as well as pitching in wherever he could to help make the Folly Community Garden a success.
“We hit a couple of snags with site flooding as well as need for funding to make progress on the passive side of the garden, but we’re getting there,” says Marshall. “We are fortunate to be able to recycle materials no longer needed for new purpose at the garden. We’re approaching some changes in the next phase of our garden plots as Spring planting time arrives. We love the garden and love the enthusiasm of our gardeners.”
Now in the midst of its first full growing season, Marshall and Smith could not be more proud of how things are going … and growing. “Our very mild winter has been great for growing,” says Marshall. “Nancy and I both agree that the Community Garden is progressing beautifully so far.”
The “passive” side of the garden is the Marshall and Smith’s latest project as they’re trying to create a welcoming, flowery entrance to the garden. “We will also have some local Folly artists who will be providing their work to the garden,” says Marshall. But funding is needed to complete our work.”
While the Community Garden is looking to raise funds for this project, it’s certainly not all about receiving from the community. Members are also doing their share giving back. Last week Shelby and Paul Grimes from Folly Beach Baptist Church’s weekly Soup Mission stopped by to gather some veggies for a chili they were making. Some green onions and fresh cilantro from the garden were a nice addition to that week’s offerings.
The Green Team’s personal box and at least one other plot at the Folly Community Garden are available to the local community initiatives, like the Soup Mission held at Folly Beach Baptist Church every Monday at noon.
“When developing the purpose of the garden, the Folly Green Team wanted to also work with the community by providing produce to the kitchen,” says Marshall. “We are blessed that we have connections with many Folly organizations that are supporting our many projects.”
The cost of renting a plot in the Community Garden is only $100 per year, but according to Marshall, there’s currently a waiting list to get one of the 16 plots. Every September the Green Team will review the current renters to make sure they’ve been tending to their plots and following the rules of the garden as well as Code of Conduct when working at the garden. New plot leases begin Oct. 1 of every year.
For more information, visit www.gofollygreen.com/community-garden.
