Spring has sprung at Mason Community Garden

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The Mason community garden is one of Mason’s kindest acts for its community. Local residents can grow their own produce in designated plots they apply for. For previous years, residents would go to the Mason City Council, but starting March this year they’ll be going to a different board. 

Madison Norfleet

The Mason community garden that’s ready for its 2022 gardeners.

The City Council voted unanimously March 21 to have a licensing agreement with Mason Community Services. Community services will now  maintain the garden. 

 Linda Hughson with community services said, “The garden is something we can help with. To help take some of the load off the city and to help serve the people in the community.” The garden helps the Mason food bank. The garden is used to bring the community closer together as well as help those in need. 

Nancy Walls with Mason community services said that with the agreement, “We could have the bank account for them to pay the water bills, take in the garden, rental fees and just handle that side of it.”  Community services would be in charge of keeping the garden up to date and making sure all gardeners are pleased and cared for. 

Members would also deal with any appeals gardeners have. In 2021, there was an issue  where one person was not able to get a plot at the garden. In the previous year the person brought up the appeal but it was brought to the same people that denied her. There are concerns  that this new agreement would follow the same path. 

Deborah Stuart,  city manager, said that the people that would make the initial decision on who can and cannot have a plot would be the community garden staff. If a gardener was not happy with the decision they could make an appeal to the Mason community services board. 

Stuart has said that if users wanted an expansion of the garden the city would be open to it. There is land available around the garden for an expansion and with a high enough demand they could allocate some of that land for more plots. 

If you would like to visit the garden it is located at 213 N. Jefferson St., Mason, MI 48854. If gardeners would like a plot they would need to email Crystal at masoncommunitygarden@gmail.com to reserve one. 

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