Whether you’ve got a spacious backyard, a tiny slab of concrete for a porch or even just a petite windowsill, growing your own food and flowers doesn’t have to be difficult said Andy Kilmach, Jasper Local Food Society’s event coordinator.
To prove this theory, the society offered a free pallet planter workshop, May 14. Basking under the sun just outside the community garden, the event’s 10 curious attendees were taught how to tear apart old fences and wooden pallets to craft their very own planter boxes.
Using only wood scraps, a saw and some nails, some of the participants built large and deep boxes– perfect for tomatoes– while others opted for smaller herb boxes.
“We’re offering the public different things to do so they can do more to grow produce at home whether it’s things they eat or flowers,” Kilmach said. “We’re using wood from pallets that otherwise would have ended up being junk or ended up in a landfill.
“They are cheap and it’s easy to do and gets people engaged.”
After all the hammering and sawing had been finished, it took most attendees under two hours to wind up with their finished product.
Kilmach said pallets aren’t only great for flower boxes, but can be used for a wide array of things from coffee tables to bed frames.
“We’re promoting local food, but also reducing waste,” he said. “There are just so many DIY possibilities with pallets.”
While the society is always eager to host community events, Kilmach said the planter workshop will most likely be the society’s last event of the season.
“It just gets so crazy in the summer,” he said.
In the fall, the society is hoping to do some workshops about apples.
“There are a lot of apple trees in town and a lot of them get wasted and become an attractant for bears,” Kilmach said. “So, we really want to find a way to use those apples.”
The society is also running a program which connects interested gardeners who don’t have their own gardens with people who do and are in need of an extra hand. For more information send an email to: [email protected].
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
