Welcome to the Maple Tree Community Garden

A welcoming place where people come together to grow organic herbs, vegetables, fruit, flowers and friendship. Located in Cannington, Ontario; serving north Durham region including Sunderland, Beaverton, Cannington, Woodville

Read more about us, see pictures, check out our supporters, get involved, or donate

Fall 2010 Clean up Party a Success

Many hands make light work, as they say. And steaming hot chili and homemade cornbread doesn’t hurt either. On October 16th, the members of the community garden gathered to clean up the garden site and prepare it for winter. Here are some photos from the event.

Next Garden Meeting

Calling all gardeners:
Please come out to the next meeting: Thursday Aug 5 at 7:00 PM
Meetings are held at the garden (unless it rains, in which case we will meet at the Cafe)

Meanwhile, here are some updates

We now have a garden shed! And Randy, our summer student (in cooperation with The Garden of Eatin’), is working a couple of days a week in the garden. Stop by and say hi. His proposed scheduled for July:
Sunday July 18, 1:00 to 7:00 Thursday July 22, 12:00-7:00
Tuesday July 27, 8:00-3:00 Thursday July 29, 12:00-7:00
Tuesday Aug 3, 8:00-3:00 Thursday Aug 5, 1:00-8:00 Garden Meeting Day

Most of the plots are planted, but there are many opportunities to participate this year. The Brock Food Bank, for instance, is always looking for volunteers to help plant, weed, harvest and more.
Also, Join our Facebook Group!

Pictures from Seedy Saturday

At our first Seedy Saturday, Community Garden members and the general public gathered at Cafe Rhythm & Books in Cannington to exchange seeds and gardening tips. John from Brock 2000 Gardens taught us how to start our own seeds, and there was plenty of socializing too.

Picture credits: Northlight Pictures

Seedy Saturday – April 10

Get ready to trade your seeds at Brock’s Seedy Saturday
Saturday, April 10 at 2:00pm
Cafe Rhythm & Books, 1 Cameron St. West, Cannington
Guest Speaker: John Nowakowsky from Brock 200 Gardens

Bring your extra vegetable and flower seeds, whether you’ve saved them yourself or had too many left from last year. Donations of hand garden tools welcomed. Garden-plot contracts available for those wanting to join!

Save the Date! Seedy Saturday April 10, 2010

Where:
Cafe Rhythm & Books
1 Cameron St. West Cannington, ON L0E 1E0

When:
Saturday April 10, 2010
2-4pm

More details to come!

Maple Tree Community Garden featured in Durham Region Community Garden Tour on July 27 2009

On July 27, 2009, Durham Region Community Garden Network held a tour of several community gardens in Durham Region.

Cesar, one of the coordinators, showing visitors around the garden

See more pictures of the tour

The Garden of Eatin’ – Leaskdale, Ontario

The idea for the Garden of Eatin’ originated at North House in Beaverton which is an association helping low-income families and individuals. With the experience of their clients, the employees at North House realized the need for fresh vegetables in local food banks. This prompted them to create a community garden. St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Leaskdale facilitated the creation of the garden by graciously donating a large section of land. The land has been divided into several smaller plots that are tended by local individuals and a large portion which will donate its produce to the Food Bank.

The Garden of Eatin’ had its successful opening day on May 30 when many local groups and volunteers planted the individual and Food Bank plots. Numerous vegetables were planted that are set to mature throughout the summer. Over 2 dozen bags of lettuce have already been harvested with much, much more to come!

The Garden of Eatin’ is located on the 4th concession, in front of St Paul’s Leaksdale Church

For more information or to get involved contact:

North House
P.O. Box 1097
Uxbridge, ON
L9P 1N4
705-426-1150
www.northhouse.ca
northhouseshelter@bellnet.ca

Brock Citizen publishes story on The Maple Tree Community Garden

Read it at mykawartha.com

More than veggies growing in this garden

Maple Tree Community Garden hosts open house Saturday
Date: 2009-07-23
By Scott Howard

Something good is growing in Cannington.

Shortly after they moved to the village around two months ago, David Slabodkin and Jen Hayter established a community garden on their property next to McCaskill’s Mills Public School.

Their motivation was two-fold, Mr. Slabodkin explained.

“Community gardens can play a nice role in bringing the community together,” he said.
“They can also provide healthy organic food to people that may not be able to afford it otherwise.”

With that in mind, the couple has partnered with the Brock Community Food Bank, as well as its counterpart in Woodville, and the Young Parents programs in Beaverton and Sunderland. Representatives from those organizations tend to marked plots at the garden and reap a bounty of fresh vegetables.

“The Brock food bank has about half of the garden right now,” Mr. Slabodkin said.

There are also plots reserved for local individuals and families.

While word is just starting to spread around the township, Ms Hayter said the response has been extremely positive thus far.
“It’s been wonderful,” she said.

Local businesses — including Brock 2000 Gardens, Cafe Rhythm and Books and Bell’s Flowers — have supported the initiative, but Mr. Slabodkin and Ms Hayter are also looking for additional sponsors and community partners.
“The more the merrier,” Ms Hayter said.

Mr. Slabodkin credited Cesar Caneo of the Brock Community Health Centre (CHC) with helping co-ordinate the project.
Mr. Caneo was pleased to lend a hand, pointing out that the community garden fits in the CHC’s mandate of building a healthy community.

“The community garden is a way to promote local food and healthy eating. It also brings people together,” he said.
“We’re growing food, growing friendships and growing a healthy community.”

Residents who would like to know more about the garden can attend an open house — or garden party — this Saturday (July 25) from 11 to 1 p.m. The free event will feature gardening demonstrations, activities for children and a free barbecue.
For more information, visit http://www.mapletreecommunitygarden.wordpress.com or call 432-3322.

The Maple Tree Community Garden is having a Garden Party – July 25

The newly established community garden would like to invite you to our grand opening to celebrate local food and friendship

What: Free community BBQ
featuring local food, kids activities, entertainment, lots of fun!
When: Saturday July 25, 2009 from 11:00 to 1:00 pm
(Rain Day: Sunday July 26 at the same time)
Where: At the garden, right beside McCaskill Mills Public School in Cannington
(at the south end of Albert st)

Come on out or contact us for more information!

June Updates

Finally we have a water tank. 1500 gallons installed, hooked up, and filled with creek water.

Water tank

Nearly all the plots have been planted now. Some plots are gardened by private individuals, and some are gardened by organizations such as the Brock Food Bank. There are beans, tomatoes, herbs, potatoes, and much more.