Second Start Community Garden (SSCG) is a Longmont, Colorado based non-profit focused on accessible, organic, community gardening. Our core vision began more than 22 years ago, as a collaboration between Longmont citizens and the city of Longmont. Today, the garden has blossomed to include a second garden area, an orchard, bee hives, established grape arbors, berry bushes, herb gardens, a shade garden and play areas for children--all common areas benefiting the membership and the greater Longmont community.
Many long-time, seasoned members continually contribute wisdom and knowledge so necessary when gardening organically. There’s a whole balance to our garden ecosystem and this knowledge is pertinent to an ever-changing membership.
We love the idea of gardening together as a group, helping one another, sharing tips for a greater harvest or a healthier plant or soil. All of this is done on the premise of organic practices. But what of pests and all manner of crop destruction that brought about the introduction of herbicides and pesticides as a means of harvest management? Organic Gardeners have entered the flow of creation, the flow of our ecology, working with what it needs, and addressing those needs within this flow, maintaining the balance. We recognize there are quick fixes, the squeeze of an herbicide bottle seems easier than taking a trip for some ladybugs or adding more of something to our compost and waiting. But these quick fixes hurt the earth, other species and humans alike, so it’s not really a quick fix at all.
SSCG encompasses 60 plots of rented garden space. Our primary mission is gardening organically and gathering, teaching and feeding the Longmont community--regardless of ability. This organization is completely volunteer based, and plot fees are on a sliding fee scale. Participants learn to co-create in a communal environment, deepening their gardening knowledge and relationship to the earth and each other. We learn how to work with pests organically in the long game, how to tend to soil, how to work things out with the plants and each other.
Garden Tours and Plot Selection:
March 3 beginning at 9:30am
March 4 from 12-3pm
March 10 from 12-1
Orientation is scheduled for:
March 10 from 2-4pm at the Longmont Public Library
Article by Parker Vollmer, SSCG Registrar, Plot Manager, Lead Web Developer