NYS Summer Garden Blooming

By Tanjua Damon

Seeds are turning into vegetables thanks to the hard work of the members of the 4-H Club and Alternative School. The Newtown Youth Services Summer Garden is well underway, and the bounty of the garden will be available to the public later this summer. The garden is located behind Canaan House at Fairfield Hills this year.

The 4-H Club and high school students have been busy preparing the soil for the seeds and now continue to water and plant vegetables like tomatoes, squash, eggplant, pumpkins, beans, cucumbers, potatoes, and cilantro.

4-H Club members have been busy on Monday and Wednesday afternoons preparing and caring for the summer garden. The groups have been learning about plant spacing, fertilizing and watering the garden. The Newtown Youth Services program was given the 2001 Youth Garden Award and was provided with flower and vegetable seeds to plant. Anyone wishing to work in the garden may show up from 9 am to 11 am during the week or call Jonathan Aragones at NYS at 270-4335 or email him at Jna3@aol.com.

Sara Piazza has been enjoying planting in this year’s summer garden.

“We’ve been planting a lot of different variety of plants,” she said. “I like nature and it’s fun. You’re helping the world because we’re planting. It helps nature because it’s good for the environment.”

Fish guts seem to be one fertilizer that has attracted the young gardeners.

“You get to water it with fish guts,” Brittany Hankins said. “I also like to work in the garden because I know that it will help people some day.”

Erica Raymond has just joined the 4-H Club, but finds it interesting.

“I came to 4-H because I knew everyone joined the club,” she said. “So I thought I would like it too.”

Chris and Marty Basso have worked in gardens before. Both boys like working with vegetables and being outside.

“I like planting and I like eating the vegetables,” Chris said. “Plus it’s fun. I like planting tomatoes because they are my favorite fruit. But I do recommended them as vegetables.”

Marty remembers helping out his grandmother each year with her garden.

“[I like to plant] squash because it tastes very good,” he said. “I’m just used to helping out and working in gardens.”

Meredith Coffey finds planting fun as well as eating what the garden will produce.

“Planting of course,” she said about why she comes to the garden. “I like to eat the food and pick the flowers when we’re done.”

Rachel Marcucilli learned some things about what plants need to grow and live since working on the garden.

“I didn’t know plants need fish guts to live,” she said.

Anyone interested in more information about the garden or helping with a vegetable stand and harvesting the garden should contact Jonathan at NYS at 270-4335 or stop by the garden behind Canaan House at Fairfield Hills between 9 and 11 am.