For Chestermere resident and avid gardener, Devonna Nagy, offering her property to be used as one of the Community Garden sites was an easy decision.
Nine years ago, Nagy suggested beginning a Community Garden in Chestermere to give like-minded residents with similar interests an opportunity to share a garden space.
“I believe we give back. I volunteered to visit seniors for over 40 years, and I believe we give back, it’s just my M.O.,” Nagy said.
Adding, “This year the garden shops can’t keep up. They say it’s the year for the garden, and it is.”
To get the Community Garden going, residents donated time, gardening tools, seeds, and the materials to build a sandbox to entertain children.
“It was a long time getting going. Folks came and helped plow and prepare the land. The main thing is keeping the plot clean. We’ll have it rototilled but you have to go in there and rake, you just have to get going,” Nagy said.
“I pay for the water, and I pay for the electricity. The big plus, when we bought this land, we didn’t know but we had the gold mine in the back of the yard, because we’re on the main canal,” Nagy said.
Currently, the Community Garden has 18 gardeners who tend and care for their own plots.
“Most of the gardeners are city folk. We visit all the time, they come, and we visit. Last night, we had four chicks for supper, imitation wine, we had fun. I cooked chicken and mashed potatoes from the garden. It’s good,” Nagy said.
For Nagy, spending time with others who share a common gardening interest, and the fall barbecue are the highlights of having the Community Garden on her property.
“I come out, and there’s a bag of carrots or a bag of potatoes, they leave something all the time,” Nagy said.
“We just all give back to one another, it’s not I did this for you, you owe me. My head doesn’t go that way,” she said.
Throughout the years, Nagy has received an overwhelming amount of support from the community regarding the Community Garden.
“People in the community love the garden. People look forward to coming here,” Nagy said.
“They just love it, we all love it, we have a purpose, what are you going to do? Sit here all day? You need a purpose. It’s so good for all of us,” she said.
