Otis Community Garden Update

By Margie Klein

June 2025

My windows are open, the warmth of June is upon us. Everywhere I walk the native flowers are popping up. The birds are singing loudly, the swallows are swooping, enjoying an eating frenzy, the four goslings are paddling between their protective parents, and also our hummingbird feeders are filled with nectar.

It’s amazing year after year this pattern, this awakening, happens, and life is good. Nature helps us heal, grow, and rejoice.

Andy and Lynn Pyenson are letting us continue using the garden this season. The first round of planting is completed. We have expanded the garden rows and are trying new techniques for growing healthier, pest and toxic free produce. We go to the Otis Ridge garden center to purchase marigolds and herbs. We have added eight new households to our membership, including some younger families. The town highway department delivered wood chips which were spread in the aisles so weeds won’t grow.

We are actively collecting bags and containers to be used when harvesting and to transport our vegetables to the pantries we service. We deliver to the Otis pantry on Wednesday. We also bring produce on the third Friday of the month to the senior brown bag giveaway, The Lee food bank is open on Saturday and it has a new location. We are all set to deliver starting in June.

Radish, lettuce, and spinach are ready for picking. The season of homegrown vegetables is underway. Our group has lots of energy and enthusiasm to get all the jobs done in order to have a successful garden. May the bountiful gifts of the earth fill our bodies with healthy, homegrown vegetables.