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Squashing bugs that are feasting on their produce is among the many chores friends and neighbors Diane Turk and Evie Ausen share at their garden plots at the Harvest Hill Community Garden on the William Jewell College campus.

“Insects have been quite a problem for us,” Turk said. “They’ve caused quite a bit of damage.”

Since capturing and smashing bugs is having little effect, Turk said she planned to research other organic alternatives to deal with the pests, and they’ve planted marigolds and nasturtiums around the edge to in an effort to ward off hungry bugs.

Turk and Ausen have three side-by-side 5-foot-by-20-foot plots among 75 plots claimed by 50 gardeners on the one-acre site.

“It’s been a lot of fun getting our hands dirty,” Turk said.

Turk and Ausen are not content to just plant watermelons, tomatoes, peppers and green beans, though. The two have also landscaped their plots with benches, steppingstones and a birdbath. They are also experimenting with some raised beds surrounded by hay bales. A pile of horse manure nearby is also available to the gardeners, as is a ready supply of water. The college mows the area around the plots.

Tim Honse, from the Center for Justice & Sustainability at the college who helped launch the community garden in partnership with the Second Baptist Church, said he was pleased with the first-year response. He hopes even more gardeners will participate next year, and he hopes some current gardeners will plant fall gardens.

“I’m definitely happy with how it’s been going so far,” Honse said. “We do plan to do it next spring, and a lot of those participating now have told me they want to do it again.”

Honse said the experiment has been a learning experiment for all those involved.

“The rain hurt us at first, and some people got discouraged,” he said. “We had some drainage problems on some plots and had to move people to drier plots. We’ve determined which plots are not very good.”

He said those who have claimed plots they like will be able to keep them for next season.

“We have room for about 175 plots,” Honse said.

Honse said some of the gardeners hoped to have enough produce to donate to charity or to share with friends and neighbors. He said the gardens have been a way for people to learn about growing nutritious food organically and make new friends.

On one cool early morning recently, a man walked his two dogs along the perimeter of the fenced in plots, but no gardeners were pulling weeds or harvesting tomatoes hanging on the vines. The ground was too wet and muddy, but the next day promised to be sunny and hot.

Turk said she and Ausen try to work in their gardens at least three days a week. Others are not so mindful, and weeds have grown in among the zucchini vines. Even so, the zucchinis have grown big and fat.

THE DETAILS

For more information about the Harvest Hill Community Garden, call Tim Honse at 415-7551 or visit the organization’s website, harvesthill.ning.com.

Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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