For 50 years, Edward Forster transformed the half-acre back yard of his Garden Terrace home into a diverse garden, filled with vegetables, flowers and shrubbery.
Now, the 86-year-old Shelton resident is turning his sights to a different garden – one that the rest of the city can take advantage of.
Forster is among 10 people named to the city’s new Community Garden Committee, which Monday will start discussing how to start a community garden in Shelton.
“There’s nothing like going out and picking a nice fresh tomato off the vine and eating it,” Forster said. “I’d like somebody else to get some land so they can plant a garden and they can put food on the table.”
The committee is made up of local farmers, gardeners and residents who have each approached the city about starting a community garden like many neighboring towns, such as Milford and Stratford, already have.
Committee member Mary King said she belongs to two such gardens at Cape Cod, where she spends summers.
There’s a waiting list to get into either garden, King said.
“I know it’s trendy,” King said. “It should have been ongoing since the end of World War II, when Victory Gardens were in.”
In Shelton?
Supporters of the community garden idea say Shelton needs to get with the trend because there is a large portion of the population without land to work.
“A lot of people don’t have yards. A lot of people live in condos. A lot of people live in rental properties,” said Teresa Gallagher, the city’s conservation agent and a member of the committee.
And King pointed out that even those residents with large back-yards may have trouble growing any vegetables or flowers.
“Shelton tends to be woodsy in some areas,” King said. “Too many deer, too many trees, not enough sunshine. This is something people will definitely go after.”
And they say the benefits of gardening should be extended to all residents.
“I think it’s a great social outlet,” said Allison Menendez, a master gardener on the committee. “I think the kids need to be taught a little bit more about gardening and horticulture. I think there’s a need.”
The group met with Mayor Mark A. Lauretti this month to get the project moving, and have some preliminary sites they want to evaluate, including a former farm off Long Hill Road.
“People have been asking about it, and the mayor’s the one who said let’s do this,” Gallagher said. “He’s been very positive about it.”
The committee will have its first official meeting at 9 a.m. Monday at the Plumb Memorial Library.
