photo credit: E. Bartholomew

The lakes provide a climate that often encourages additional time to the growing zone, depending on where you are located. And the soil is rich.

So, if you are interested in starting your first garden, adding to the garden areas or possibly growing a garden in containers or on a patio area, stop by the Gardener’s Rake and enter the Free Garden seeds contest.

Touring the local Chautauqua gardens or visiting the farmer’s markets or vegetable stand that speckle the roadside in this area make for an enjoyable day and fresh flowers and produce.

Check out the contest at the Gardener’s Rake and start that recession garden or kitchen garden this year.

Community Gardens

Community gardens are becoming popular in many areas, particularly in urban areas. This last year, residents of Chautauqua created a community garden. A small group who lived on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution organized and submitted a proposal to create a community garden.

With the economy in the shape it is and environmental concerns the addition of community gardens is a welcome and rewarding program to set up. I hope that Chautauqua County, Warren County and areas around the world will take time to organize community garden projects and participate in the “Grow a row for the poor” program.