Sturgeon Bay Growing Community Garden

Beautification of empty fields in Sturgeon Bay is being taken a step further than city landscapers planting a few flowers and mowing some grass. Plans for a community garden at Amity Field behind Sunset School are ready for implementation this spring, and anyone with a will to grow plants and a small amount of money can participate.

University of Wisconsin-Extension nutrition coordinator Jenny Spude is working with agriculture agent Dean Volenberg and the city Parks and Recreation Department to create 35,000 square feet of garden plots, with additional space for paths and a courtyard. This garden will take over one half of the entire open area of Amity Field. The major goal behind this project is to provide education for the community and likely some additional fresh produce for local food pantries.

A $15,000 grant was awarded to the Door County Habitat for Humanity from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for a community enrichment project. Habitat will help construct the plots and paths. The city will help bring in topsoil, compost and a water lateral for garden watering. In years two and three of this three phase project, more irrigation will be installed, patio construction will begin and disability-accessible paths will be installed.

After the land lease is finalized with the city, assignment of garden plots will begin. According to Spude, plots will be assigned based on a first come, first served basis. The fee for plot usage has not been determined yet, but will be somewhere between $10 to $20 for the year, Spude said. As long as groups keep their plots weeded and are productively growing plants, they can keep the plot for as many years as they choose, she added.

For information on working a community garden plot, call Jenny Spude at 920.746.5994.