Wild West Garden Now Lush

Community gardeners at the new Wild West Community Garden located at the attended a “lunch and learn” session on June 18. The guest speaker was Eric Lober, owner of Sunny Creek Farm in Villa Ridge, MO. Lober is a regular vendor at the in the Town Center, selling both organic meats and vegetables.

Lober was generous in his praise for the success of the community garden. “You have a great start here,” he said, pointing to the lush garden next to the Wildwood Family Y. There are 48 plots, all rented, with more people on a waiting list.

“This has been such a successful effort,” said Mike Gavasto, district vice president for the YMCA. “We’re thinking of expanding it next year.”

Thirty-plus people came to the meeting, where Lober discussed how to deal with plant pests and gave gardeners good ideas for vegetable varieties that do well on his organic farm. He discussed strategies to keep insects and animals from attacking the plants.

Garden members had a potluck meal, with each bringing a dish to share. Doug Smedley barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs to go with all of the salads and desserts.

Since the garden’s inception a few months ago, it has been a great success, thanks to all of the volunteers in the community who have helped with it. YMCA employee Jodi Smedley recognized some of the volunteers who were in attendance, including steering committee members Gary Oleksiw and Kathy Fischer, newsletter editor Julie Housley, and Alison Haum, who is heading up a cookbook fundraiser committee.

Smedley noted that Jennifer Hines is chairing the “Share” program. “We hope to be able to donate vegetables to the food pantries soon,” said Smedley. She thanked “bug expert” Jill Gardner and YMCA’s property manager Michael Estwanick, who set up the sprinkler system.

“Mike is our water guru!” said Smedley. 

Members of the Garden Society of Wildwood were on hand to help with the dinner. “We've been involved since the beginning,” said Julie Housley. The group has a joint plot that they share. 

Trudy Blackwell, a Wildwood resident, decided to get the family involved in her garden. Her son, Jackson, who will be a fifth grader at this fall, was initially a little hesitant about gardening, but after eating some of the produce, he is sold on the idea. He helped his mother weed the garden and pick produce after the luncheon.

Bill and Louise McAliney live nearby the garden in the . “We love being able to walk to the Y and to our garden,” said Bill McAliney.

The strawberry plants at one end of the McAlineys' garden plot were covered with fabric and held down with rocks on each corner. “Our first strawberry was delicious,” said Louise. “We took it home and cut it in half to share! But then the birds started pecking at the berries. We went to JoAnn Fabrics and got this tulle to put over the plants. We’ll see if it works!”