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Living up close with nature

            For some residents who live among the natural beauty of Wisconsin woods and water, there’s nothing better than being close to nature but having easy access to Madison.

 When Dawn Deppeler, volunteer coordinator for the community gardens, and resident of Conservancy Place walks out her front door, she is just a few steps from the pavilion in Conservancy Commons park. Deppeler, who grew up in the DeForest area and works in Madison, loves living in a natural setting where she has a window into the world of wildlife and nature.

In the three years that she has called Conservancy Place home, she has enjoyed the best of both worlds. She enjoys seeing turkey, deer, and other wildlife, and now, with the new park outside her door, there are plenty of other reasons to stay home and enjoy the views.

Deppeler is looking forward to planting her first garden at the community gardens in April. She says, “I’m looking forward to being able to have fresh salad ingredients and other vegetables all summer long,”.  In the past, Deppeler, who lives in a condominium, has been mostly a “container gardener,” but the community gardens at Conservancy Place offer new opportunities for people who don’t have the space or interest in creating a home garden, or don’t have enough space for a home garden.

Deppeler says, “These are really good sized garden plots, I’m really looking forward to working in the garden and watching it grow.”

Subhead---High school gardeners

            An interest in gardening is often encouraged when young people take courses that inspire them. Gwen Boettcher, a DeForest High agricultural teacher is a strong proponent of getting students involved in sustainable agriculture. Currently, twenty-two students in her horticulture class grow small vegetable plants and then donate them to the DeForest Food Pantry.

            When coordinators of community gardens contacted Boettcher to see how they might work together to provide garden fresh food for people in need, Boettcher says she found the project interesting. “We are also talking with our students, and the National FFA members at the school, to see how we can link student interests in sustainable agriculture with volunteer work with the gardens.  I see the community gardens as an important opportunity for students to continue learning about sustainable agriculture while giving back to the community,” she says.

            The project involves students growing a variety of vegetables by starting plants at the school greenhouse.  The plants would then be transferred to garden plots at the community gardens. Interested students would volunteer time over the summer working in the gardens.

            “It’s a win-win situation,” says Boettcher. “The students get to learn as they garden, and subsequently, garden fresh produce will be given to those who need it.”     

• The community gardens are located adjacent to Conservancy Commons, a newly developed park at Conservancy Place in DeForest.  The park has a water spray- play feature, pavilion, playground equipment and is landscaped with beautiful native plantings.
• Both the community gardens and Conservancy Commons park are open to the public.
• A limited number of individual garden plots of 20 by 20 feet are available at the community gardens for $30 a season for residents of Conservancy Place and $40 for non-residents. 

To sign up for a garden plot or for more information call (608) 833-9044.