“It’s the best deal in town!”

That’s the word going around about the Brownwood Area Community Garden as it begins its second year of leasing gardening plots to the public this week.

The Community Garden is offering area residents the opportunity to lease a 4-foot by 20-foot raised bed at the Garden for just $20 per year. That fee includes water, delivered by the Garden’s state-of-the-art drip irrigation system, a selection of seed, compost and other soil amendments, and lots of educational events covering the Garden’s philosophy of sustainable, natural gardening.

“This really is a great deal,” according to Freda Day, president of the Brownwood Area Community Garden. “We reserve at least half of our plots for food pantry production, but part of our mission statement calls for making gardening space available to the public. Anyone – families, clubs, and businesses – can lease one of the Garden’s plots, and enjoy a fantastic garden.”

Day added that the Community Garden plots are great for people who don’t have space for a garden at home. “Basically, a plot is about 80 square feet, and you can grow a lot in that space. And if you go on vacation next summer, you don’t have to worry about your garden – it will still get watered, and we’ll even pick your crops for you. We don’t let anything go to waste!”

Last year, in its first growing season, the Brownwood Area Community Garden harvested more than 3,000 pounds of fresh, naturally grown produce for area food pantries and provided gardening space to more than 20 private gardeners. The Garden also created seven part-time employment and on-the-job training opportunities for area residents, and presented a variety of classes on various aspects of gardening.

Gardeners who lease plots at the Community Garden may grow crops of their choice, but must adhere to the Garden’s policy of natural, sustainable practices.

“Basically, that means organic: no chemical pesticides or herbicides, just natural methods and amendments that create a balanced, diverse environment for optimum gardening conditions,” Day said. “And it doesn’t matter if you don’t have any experience in organic gardening. We’ll teach you. We’re always glad to have the chance to promote natural, sustainable gardening practices.”

While the majority of the Garden’s harvest is bound for area food pantries, specifically the Salvation Army Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen and Good Samaritan Ministries, private gardeners may keep all their harvest. In return, they’re required to donate five hours per year to helping in the plots dedicated to pantry growth. Those volunteer hours may be served on Garden Work Days (the second and fourth Saturday of each month), or at any time.

Five of the private beds available for lease are wheelchair-accessible, and will be leased out by special consideration of the applicant’s physical abilities.

Applications will be accepted through March 1, on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are available by calling 325-784-8453.

The Brownwood Area Community Garden is a non-profit organization established primarily for the purpose of providing fresh, naturally grown produce to area food pantries to feed the hungry.

The Garden’s secondary purpose is to provide space for residents who wish to garden according to

natural methods; to provide a venue for education on sustainable gardening practices; and to provide employment and on-the-job training opportunities for low-income workers.

Pictured above: Teresa Horton and Joyce White reap the benefits of their Community Garden leased plots. The Brownwood Area Community Garden is leasing 4×20-foot plots to the public for $20 per year, which covers the cost of water, a selection of seeds, and educational programs on various aspects of gardening.