Time to think about a garden?
April is a great time to start thinking about starting a vegetable garden, or even just a few vegetable plant containers, for the spring.
But where do you start? We have so many resources here in Framingham and nearby that you may not know about. Here’s a few to consider . . .
Visit the Framingham Seed Library – at both branches of the Framingham Public Library. The library has seeds for all kinds of vegetables, for free! It is restocked in March with new seeds for the season. Besides the seeds, the librarians often have recommended books and events (both online and in-person), to help you with your new growing efforts. You can also borrow gardening tools from the Framingham Public Library through their Library of Things.
You could also join a community garden. We have two community gardens in Framingham – one just a few miles from Edwards Church at the Beacon of Hope Methodist Church on the corner of Brook and Water Streets, and the Pratt Street Community Garden in South Framingham. At press time there were still several plots available at Beacon of Hope, which will open for the season in late April/early May. Contact Mary Memmott for more information (memmottm@gmail.com or 508-202-2229). There is a small fee for plots. Pratt Street is also likely to have some available plots, and this garden is free to the public – it’s sponsored by the City of Framingham. For more information contact garden coordinator Jose Fereira, joseferreiraj94@yahoo.com.
Finally, you could also help develop a NEW community garden in Framingham – there are design studies underway to develop gardens at Roosevelt and Bates Parks, neighborhood parks in South Framingham. The next public meeting for input on the designs will be Saturday, May 4, 2:00 p.m. at Amazing Things Art Center. See https://www.fhamcg.org/ for more information. You could be one of the founding members of a new place to grow vegetables in Framingham!
Mary Memmott
Environmental Justice Team