Over at the Scheffer Rec Center located in the Capitol Heights neighborhood of St. Paul, there are plenty of things for kids to do during the summer time, and a few weeds too.
Down the street at the League of Minnesota Cities building, an idea to plant a garden in honor of our centennial blossomed *ahem* over the winter and spring. But where to go?
All it took was a "matchmaker" over at Blooming St. Paul to take our idea and put us to work improving the garden bed at our Rec Center neighbor.
Bad news for those weeds!
It turns out cities have been investing a little sweat equity into public gardens for quite some time. The June 1917 magazine issue of "Minnesota Municipalities" lists projects throughout the state dedicated to reducing the "high cost of living" by allowing residents to plant gardens on public land.
From the 1917 report:
"... Menahga has broken up the ball park. Will irrigate gardens with city water. Scanlon water works irrigates gardens free all summer. And every foot of ground is cultivated.
Atwater is considering arrangements to provide canning facilities for garden produce.
Biwabik furnishes plowed ground, and supplies seed potatoes at cost. ..."
We have no plans to eat our garden at the end of
Check back next week when we post the "after" photos!