Organizers of the Sharpsburg Community Garden are hoping to grow a new generation of people with a passion for planting.
The garden, situated behind the community library along Main Street, is launching a scholarship program for 2025 through which a newbie can get their hands dirty and harvest crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, beans and herbs — for free.
“The winner will receive a raised bed for the year and will be mentored by our seasoned garden members,” said Janice Smith, group treasurer.
“Our goal is to instill in younger residents a love of gardening.”
The program is open to residents 18 to 25, and the deadline to apply is Jan. 5.
“We believe gardening not only feeds your family, it brings a satisfaction and helps relieve the stress of daily life,” Smith said.
Community gardens in particular are a tool to combat food insecurity and create a sense of belonging.
They provide a reliable source of nutritious food, foster social connections and offer educational opportunities and environmental benefits, according to community-gardening.org.
Not only that, urban gardening has been shown to enhance property values and lead to fewer vacant homes, according to gardenpals.com.
According to the website, property values within 1,000 feet of a community garden were found to increase by up to nearly 10%.
Sharpsburg is fortunate to have two bountiful gardens, especially considering there is no grocery store within walking distance.
At the Community Garden, there are 25 raised beds that are rented for $25 a year.
The 1,800-square-foot site usually has a waiting list as garden prep begins each March.
In 2016, the garden was recognized by Grow Pittsburgh for producing the most veggies per square foot among the nonprofit’s partner sites. It harvested 1,565 pounds of kale, peppers and carrots, among other goodies.
A second site, known as the Market Garden, was born out of the success of the main site. Established in 2019, it is run by resident Ruth Ann McGarry at 13th and Middle streets and contains 20 beds, all tended by volunteers.
Produce grown there is used to feed people in the community.
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Garden enthusiasts grow, harvest and maintain the crops, turning out more than 200 pounds of greens, peppers and squash to be enjoyed by anyone in need.
There are baskets of produce set out at the library, and some are delivered to the borough high-rise.
Rosemary Wheeler, co-manager of the Community Garden, is excited to see both endeavors flourishing. She devised the scholarship initiative to give people unfamiliar with gardening a chance to learn the ropes.
“We want to try to get young people more involved and bring fresh energy to the program,” she said.
The scholarship might help people who want to start a garden but don’t know where to begin, or don’t have a space to grow their own vegetables, she said.
“There are people who may feel intimidated by doing something like this on their own. And this way, there will be other members to show them some things about gardening and get them started.”
The scholarship winner will be nurtured by avid green thumbs who can advise on starting plants from seed, basic compost techniques and pest control.
“Sharpsburg needs young garden enthusiasts, and this is their chance to learn a skill that will serve them well throughout their life,” Wheeler said.
Interviews will be scheduled with the garden board in January before the scholarship announcement. Applications are available in the library and on the borough website at sharpsburgborough.com.