The first year of planting, growing and harvesting is complete at the 51 plots in the Connaught Drive community garden and participating gardeners say there is a lot to celebrate.

The garden was relocated from the library and expanded to 51 plots from 23, a split-rail fence was erected, the Jasper Local Food Society received Alberta Farmers’ Market designation – to make it easier for Jasperites to sell their home-made food – and there was plenty to harvest.

“The fact that we grew anything, considering how rainy and cold it was this summer, I’m impressed,” said Heather Young-Leslie, co-chair of the Jasper Local Food Society.

Young-Leslie said she was even having a hard time keeping up with her own harvest.

“I couldn’t keep on top of my salad,” she said with a smile.

The fall harvest was celebrated at a feast last month. All of the members of the local food society, friends and neighbours with their own gardens and vendors from the farmers’ market were invited to McCready Centre to share in the dinner.

“I made polenta with roast beets and a balsamic reduction. It was really good,” said Young-Leslie.

“The idea, it was a potluck, you bring stuff you’ve grown yourself. 

“People made really good food from what was left in the garden in early October.

“It was like a family reunion, a good old fashioned community hall supper and there wasn’t much left over to take home.”

In the 2010 Jasper Community Sustainability Plan, a community garden was identified as a possible project the municipality could undertake to promote health and community services.

“So we’re doing that job for them (the municipality) and they recognize that,” said Young-Leslie. 

“The municipal workers have been really supportive,” she said, noting that they helped with soil, sod removal and the temporary metal fencing that was originally around the Connaught Drive garden.

The community garden started as a pilot project in 2010. After the year was up, the Local Food Society presented to council, asking for a permanent location for the garden, which had been located at the library. 

Young-Leslie said at first councillors weren’t sold on the idea of putting it on the town’s main drag and suggested that instead it be located in a residential area.

But in the end, the Connaught Drive location, adjacent to the AMA building, was selected.

And ever since it’s created quite the stir with tourists.

“Nobody anticipated how much it was going to positively impress visitors,” said Young-Leslie.

“It takes twice as long to do the gardening because of the visitors who come look in through the fence.

“We meet lots of other gardeners from Israel, Peru, to the UK.”

Young-Leslie said they are all curious about the garden. They want to know who can use it, what the growing season’s like and what grows well in Jasper.

“The visitors love it.”

It’s also been good for the community as a whole, said Young-Leslie, because not only does it benefit the people who have plots, it also benefits the food bank, the Jasper Sustainability Club and the children of members of the community garden.

That’s because there are two plots donated to the food bank, one to the sustainability club and another to the children.

It’s all in the society’s motto of “growing community, one garden at a time.”