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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The Fort Simpson community garden is growing.

Michel Benoit, the Fort Simpson Community Garden Society's director representing Thomas Simpson School, harvests fresh potatoes last fall. - NNSL file photo

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment started the garden last year after getting permission from Liidlii Kue First Nation to locate the garden at the papal site.

During the first year approximately one acre of land was cleared and 20 raised garden boxes were built.

Although the goal was to have people sign up and care for a box or two on their own, much of the garden was given over to communal planting.

The resulting vegetables including potatoes, cabbages, kale, zucchini and yellow beans were harvested and shared during a communal harvesting day in September, said Val Gendron, the new chairperson of the Fort Simpson Community Garden Society.

"The goal is to increase the membership and increase the garden size," said Gendron, speaking about this year's plans.

To increase the garden size, 36 new wooden raised garden boxes will be built. The boxes will measure 1.2 metres by 4.9 metres.

Community members can register with the society to use either one or two of the new boxes for the year for a small fee.

In addition to the personal boxes, the garden will also include a communal plant area again this year.

The communal crops are set to include strawberries, potatoes, pumpkins, cabbage, carrots, turnips, squash and zucchini, said Gendron.

People who don't want their own box but who want to participate in the communal part of the garden can become members of the society.

Last year the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment put $11,620 into the garden through a grant to the Territorial Farmers Association. The grant was used to purchase wood for the boxes, transplants, a shed and water tanks, among other supplies.

This year the society has received a $58,500 grant for the expansion of the garden. The money has been used to purchase a small tractor, three garden sheds, garden tools, a rototiller, three green houses and two hydroponics units.

The society is supporting not just the main garden, but also community gardens at the Four Mile and Wild Rose subdivisions, said Gendron.

One of the garden sheds will go to each of the locations and one of the greenhouses will be located at Four Mile.

The remaining two greenhouses are being used by Thomas Simpson School, which will also be running a course using the hydroponics units.

In addition to expanding the garden, the society wants to make it a more welcoming place. There are plans to put picnic tables and benches at the main garden site, said Gendron.

Gardeners are also invited to meet at the garden every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. and every Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. to garden together.

People will have the chance to grow healthy food and also have social interactions, Gendron said.

The society has taken over the management of the garden from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

The first board was formed last November. Approximately 28 people attended the society's annual general meeting on May 22 where Gendron was elected, along with Teresa Chilkowich as the vice-president, Alison Brown as the secretary and Dave Fiebelkorn as the treasurer. The society also has six directors representing its various locations.

Chilkowich, who helped other people with their garden boxes last year, said she is absolutely looking forward to getting her own boxes this year.

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