On February 12th from 4-5:30pm the Truro Public Library will be awash in veggies, blooms and smiles as proud children from Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet and Eastham show off their framed watercolors and sculptures. The art exhibition, which runs through February 28th, features work inspired by the Truro’s Children’s Community Garden. All are welcome.
The Children’s Garden, a collaboration between the Truro Public Library, the Truro Recreation Program and the Truro Agricultural Fair, supplies fruits and vegetables grown by children for children which are taken home in popular “ garden goody bags”. Based upon Eliot Coleman’s Four Season Harvest and Winter Harvest models, one of the raised beds is currently growing spinach and mache under an inexpensive hoop house. In addition, the Garden inspired all manner of artwork ranging from elegant blooms to diagrams of tomato worms and honeybees.
“It was a really popular gathering place,” marvels artist Francie Randolph, who recently founded Sustainable CAPE – Center for Agricultural Preservation and Education, the new umbrella non-profit for the Truro Ag Fair, Children’s Gardens and the Local Learning Initiative (an upcoming film & lecture series). “The garden hosted over 350 child visits and we held approximately fifty 4H classes staffed by volunteer gardeners and artists. We served Cape Cod children from Provincetown to Eastham as well as lots of other young visitors from Europe to California. I think the biggest success of all was that these kids LOVED eating everything we grew – including heirloom salad greens!”
Another benefit is that the Children’s Garden has acted as it’s own Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign – children’s tastebuds have driven demand for more locally grown produce. “One mother asked me what mesclun was and where to buy it,” recalls Randolph. “I could direct her to several of the new farm stands that have sprung up since the Ag Fair. It’s an exciting time for local agriculture on Cape Cod. There’s an increased awareness of the many benefits – not only health benefits but social benefits, conservation benefits, and economic benefits as well”.
Sustainable CAPE’s tagline, “Growing Food. Growing Community. Growing Connection.”, speaks directly to their mission. This past September’s second Truro Agricultural Fair was a success due to the hard work of over 100 volunteers, more than 60 full and part time farmers and harvesters, the great restaurants who served local fare, and the 5000 fairgoers who spent an estimated $50,000 on local food. The library, the Recreation Program and Sustainable CAPE invite anyone who would like to find out more, volunteer, or connect with gardeners and artists to the Saturday afternoon opening. For more information please call the library at 508-487-1125.
Bearing Fruit: Artwork from the Truro Children’s Community Garden
