The vegetable garden on the side of Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault, Minnesota.
LEMON CUCUMBERS. Purple beans. Dill. Snap peas. Kohlrabi.
A developing ground cherry? Or something else?
Dill.
Ground cherries.
The list of vegetables grown in a community garden at Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault also includes ground cherries, tomatoes, Swiss chard, eggplant, cilantro, rosemary. Plus clover and sunflowers. And maybe some plants I’ve missed.
A vegetable blossom.
Several types of tomatoes grow in the garden.
Purple beans.
While I had hoped to harvest beans during a recent stop, I found them still too small and other vegetables (the ones I would eat) not yet ready for picking.
Sunflowers burst color into the garden.
Another view of the garden.
But I still took time to photograph this wedge garden, a project of Friends of the Library. The Friends Organic Learning Garden was designed several years ago as a place for folks to gather and learn how to:
- grow delicious organic food
- care for the earth and our water supply
- support pollinators
- connect with others in the community
There’s a bee lawn right next to the vegetable garden.
Another unidentified vegetable developing.
A warning sign next to the library and by the bee lawn.
It’s a great idea. Anything that brings people together, educates and meets a need—providing food—certainly holds value. I have, in past years, enjoyed vegetables from the library garden. That includes lemon cucumbers, which Lisa Reuvers, library employee and lead master gardener, says “were a hit a couple of years ago.”
The garden features a hummingbird sculpture, “The Color of Flight, by Jorge Ponticas. This was funded by the “Artists on Main Street” program several years ago.
I’ll keep an eye on those coveted orb-shaped cucumbers as they ripen and grab a few for salads…
TELL ME: Does your community have a similar garden? Or are you a gardener? I’d like to hear.
© Copyright 2020 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Fauna and flora are good for everybody – humans to insects to birds to etc. Currently growing limes, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Plus we keep a lot of fauna and flora for the birds, butterflies, and bees. The squirrels and snakes like the protection too. Happy Day – Enjoy 🙂
Thank you for sharing how you are caring for this world. I could do without the snakes, thought. Saw two yesterday while walking through a graveyard at an historic church near Millersburg. Post forthcoming at some point.
What a great idea this is. We have several areas that have community gardens but nothing quite this unique. how wonderful to use the space and share the wealth.
It is a great idea and I know Lisa works hard to make this garden a success.
I like seeing gardens that offer up the produce to whomever wants it. There are a few in Northfield.
We have not planted a vegetable garden for several years now…maybe it’s time to resume…;-)
Those are great photos of vegetables!
Glad you enjoyed the vegetable pix. And I’m glad Northfield grows similar community gardens.
Thanks Audrey for sharing your part of MN and your community gardening efforts. I shared your blog with our bio garden volunteers here. Some concepts are universal.😊🌱
Thanks, Paula, for sharing my post with your gardening friends.