Leeton Salvos' community garden grows with help from State Water

An empty paddock of weeds has been transformed into the beginning of a thriving community garden in Leeton, part of the Riverina region of NSW.

Twelve volunteers from the State Water Office joined a team from The Salvation Army on Thursday 10 July to clear the land, build the garden bed and create and prepare 10 waist-high sleeper boxes for vegetable gardens.

As part of its “State Water Cares” program, the State Water Office allows employees to take part in volunteer work for a day each year. This year, the Leeton volunteers chose to assist the local Salvation Army – something which Captain Jennifer Stringer, Leeton Salvos Officer, truly appreciated.

“There is no way we could have completed that amount of work in close to one day,” she said.

“We are very grateful for their assistance and hard work and are now looking forward to seeing our community garden growing.

“We are also thankful to Prolop tree removal and stump grinding for their great work, Area Pre-Mix for the blue gravel, Prestons for the planter boxes, the Leeton Shire Council for the road base and Mike Schultz from Riverina Wildflowers Native Nursery for his advice and assistance in selecting, planting and caring for a native garden.”

The garden is open to the community to come and grow their own vegetables and to have a garden of which to be a part.

“It’s a work in progress that is about building sustainability into our community and helping people help themselves,” said Captain Stringer. “It’s also a positive way to bring people into the Salvos building.”

Once the fresh produce has been grown, it will be used in the community lunches that began in August, and in the planned community cooking classes.

“The lunches, which are monthly at the moment but will be increased next year, are to help those who may not be getting three meals a day, the homeless or for people who want to meet and make new friends,” explained Captain Stringer.

The garden, which is also now lined with native shrubs and fruit trees, completes the newly-built and refurbished Salvos facilities.

Commissioner James Condon, Territorial Commander, will officially open the new facilities on 20 September.

Photo caption: Captain Jennifer Stringer shovels the first spade of soil into the new planter boxes, put together by the State Water staff. From right to left: Matt Deaton, John Spencer, Eddy Taylor, Lee Taylor, Jessica Douglas, Sonia Townsend, Ned Hamilton, Michael Legge and John Thompson.

Photo courtesy The Irrigator