The United Way of Wapello County hopes to open a new community garden on the south side of Ottumwa this summer, offering a space for families to grow their own produce.
A site has been identified at 605 Ellis Street, which is an empty lot owned by the City of Ottumwa. A community garden there would turn an empty lot into an attractive area that promotes healthy eating, income stability, and community and neighborhood pride.
A community garden is an area of land maintained by members, who grow fresh food for their individual households. Each member will have their own plot of land, but the members will be responsible for upkeep and security of the garden. Each gardener will be able to determine what food to grow, how to design their garden, and how to protect their garden from pests and diseases.
Though members are required to pay for their own area of the community garden, plots are available on a sliding scale. Anyone interested in joining the Ellis Street Community Garden is encouraged to come to an informational meeting at 605 Ellis Street on May 1st, at 11am or 4pm. They can also contact the United Way at 641-682-1264.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Jennifer Daugherty at 641-682-1264 or email at j.daugherty@wapellocouw.org.