Planting Seeds: Community Garden Finally Becomes a Reality

The product of nearly two years of planning and negotiation, a Community Garden has finally begun to materialize in the empty lot on the corner of Blanton and Virginia Streets in Farmville. The Garden is the joint efforts of the Head Start program, Habitat for Humanity and Longwood University.

The grassy lot was filled with workers Monday evening as a class of approximately 50 Longwood University students converged on it armed with garden tools and rototiller to clean up and break ground for the garden. The class, led by Jennifer Cox, the director of Commuter Life at Longwood University, will later this year be headed to Yellowstone on an outreach class. “This evening’s work will give them an idea of what they will be doing this summer out there,” she said with a smile. “It is a good way to get the students excited about the trip.”

“Habitat for Humanity owns the land on the corner of Blanton and Virginia Streets. The organization decided to donate the land for the project in hopes of empowering the community by stimulating interaction and growth,” according to spokesperson Lindsey Dowell.

Pauline Stokes, a SNAP program education agent and chief coordinator of the garden, was there Monday evening to watch the work begin on the grass roots project which has been a focus of her efforts for two years. “This is something that we have been trying to get done for some time,” she told the Southside Messenger. “We just had to wait until the community wanted to get involved, as well. This is going to be a very good thing for this neighborhood, I think.” Rita Mosely, another coordinator on the project, was there as well. She and Ms. Stokes took a moment to reminisce, “We were here during the difficult times,” she said, speaking of the strike at the Moton School and ensuing court battle that won equal education for all. “Seeing this go through is, in a way, our way of giving to our community.”

The Community Garden will offer a unique opportunity to bring the neighborhood together and work towards a common goal, not to mention the chance to reap some fresh vegetables during harvest season. The next work day at the garden will be announced.