1. home and garden

La Crescent Community Garden
A partner program of La Crescent Area Healthy Community Partnership
The La Crescent Community Garden was established in 2006 under the auspices of the La Crescent Area
Healthy Community Partnership. The Community Garden is a volunteer organization in collaboration with
Messiah Lutheran Church. The garden is located on the corner of the church property at 825 Jonathan
Lane and N. 9th St in La Crescent.
The goals of the garden are:
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To offer garden plots to members of the La Crescent community
To encourage participants to eat seasonally and locally
To grow food for ourselves, the local food shelf and others
To garden as organically as possible
To create an opportunity for community members to work together
To learn more about the Community Garden and La Crescent Area Healthy Community Partnership,
please visit our website: www.lacrescenthcp.org
Plot size:
Each plot is 10 foot by 10 feet. Gardeners may choose to grow up to 2 plots each.
Cost:
$15 per plot
Plot Sign Up:
To get on the waiting list, contact us as early as possible. Email us at [email protected] or call
895-2124. If leaving a voice message, please leave your name, address, phone number, and email (if you have
one). We will assign available plots on April 25 at 9:00 am and set up the garden. Please attend if
possible; many hands make light work. Registrations are due at that time. If you are unable to attend, please
turn in your registration prior to the due date. A week or two after plot sign up you will receive a map in the
mail (or by email) of your garden site with the names and contact information of your fellow gardeners and the
site coordinators.
Optional Communal Area Participation:
We have an area at the back of the garden to grow communally. This is especially nice since vegetables like
squash and potatoes take up a lot of space. We also use this area so that we can donate more to the La Crescent
Food Shelf. We encourage gardeners to consider donating a little of their harvest from their plot, as well, or
sharing with others in or out of the garden. We ask that if you want to partake in the communal section, you
must commit to helping at least once a week with watering, weeding, or harvesting as needed. If you don’t
need a plot but wish to be a part of the communal area, you may do this with no plot fee.
Expectations of Gardeners
• Each gardener is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their garden plot. Watering, weeding,
harvesting and any other garden related maintenance are all the responsibility of the gardener.
Gardeners may arrange for other gardeners to water their plots.
• Respect the boundaries of each plot. Plant, grow, tend the garden that is assigned to you.
• Clean up after yourself. Especially do not leave materials outside the garden boundary. They may
damage the mowers.
• Use organic practices. There are many organic alternatives to toxic chemicals and pesticides. If you
need assistance, ask around. There's also a great deal of helpful information from the UW Extension in
La Crosse: http://lacrosse.uwex.edu/ and at the U of MN extension http://www.extension.umn.edu/
• Please keep vehicles off of the grass.
• If there are concerns or questions regarding the administration of the community garden, please contact
Susan Oddsen or Pastor Lorfeld at the numbers below.
Chemical use policy/soil policy statement:
We prohibit the use of toxic chemicals, either synthetically or organically derived. Developing healthy plants
through developing healthy soil diminishes the need for the use of chemicals. Even the one time use of a
pesticide can have detrimental effects on soil life for future gardeners. If gardeners are having weed or pest
problems they are encouraged to call the extension service for information and suggestions before using
chemicals; we will help you find an alternative. In order to implement this policy, the garden program will try
to provide education, information, and assistance to promote organic solutions in areas of pest control, weed
control, and fertilizing. We will also attempt to apply compost to the gardens every few years, budget allowing.
We ask that gardeners also compost and/or add compost to the soil.
After the season:
If you wish to keep your plot for the next year, let us know. If not, please clean up your plot, removing any
fencing, structures, and stakes after harvest, so it will be easy for another gardener to use the plot next year.
Vacated plots:
Gardens not planted by June 15 will be reclaimed by the Garden Program and reassigned or planted with a
cover crop to enrich the soil and inhibit the growth of weeds. Please call to let us know if you are having
difficulty getting your plot planted. Plots that are not cared for for 3 consecutive weeks will also be reassigned,
tilled, and/or planted with a cover crop. Make arrangements with your fellow gardeners to tend your plot/s if
you will be gone for an extended amount of time.
Tools:
Shovels, rakes, hoes, etc. are available to be borrowed at the Community Garden site. We also have a small
tiller (call ahead if you need to use it).
Water:
The La Crescent Volunteer Fire Department is very kind to keep our water tank filled. Please do not waste
water, and make sure you check that you’ve turned it off at both the hose and the tank. Do not drink this water
as the tank is not clean. Also check to make sure you closed the garden gate!
Tilling:
Twine wraps around the tines of the tiller and can cause major damage. Use only natural fiber twine in your
garden, and be sure to pick it up in the fall.
Rocks:
Rocks destroy lawn mower blades and tillers. Please don’t throw rocks out of your garden onto the “grassy”
area that will be mowed.
Dogs:
Please do not bring your dog into the garden.
Program Coordinators:
Susan Oddsen
[email protected]
507-895-2124
Pastor Matthew Lorfeld
[email protected]
507-895-5673