For eight years now, the 100 Mile Community Garden has been a gathering place and refuge for the citizens of 100 Mile House.
Located by 100 Mile Elementary School on Birch Avenue, the garden was once the sight of two old homes that have since been demolished. Peter Jarvis, secretary for the South Cariboo Sustainability Society, who helps run the garden, said people had begun to take advantage of the property by parking on it and dumping trash there. Jarvis said the society and several other groups approached the property owner and proposed that he allow them to build a community garden there.
"We set it up and he actually paid for all the fencing around here and pays for the insurance every year," Jarvis said. "We decided we didn't want to turn it into a farmer's field, we always wanted to grow stuff here, but we'd make it a dual purpose. A place where there's some vegetables grown but people can also come and sit and have their lunch."
From that humble origin, Jarvis said the garden has grown to 12 raised beds with picnic tables, a donated work shed and three compost bins, all set up for the community to use. In addition to gardeners like himself, local community groups such as students from 100 Mile Elementary School and the Canadian Mental Health Association South Cariboo Branch also come to look after the garden, taking care of two and one beds, respectively.
The shed, meanwhile, that houses the tools and equipment needed to tend to the gardens was made from donated materials and built by Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School students. Jarvis added that an anonymous donor also provided the garden with two raised wooden beds so seniors and those with difficulties kneeling could also garden.
Jarvis said the central idea of the community garden is to encourage people to get into gardening for both pleasure and sustenance. While the garden does grow some flowers, it is primarily focused on food crops such as lettuce, carrots and other vegetables. They also practice sustainability by recycling food waste via their compost system.
"The town agreed that local people can bring their vegetable waste (to our compost bins). This is probably the third year we've done it, and every year we've doubled it," Jarvis explained. "The first year, we had only a bucket full, and now we're up to eight to 10 bucket fulls.
"We want to encourage (donations) because otherwise (vegetable waste) just goes in the garbage. Something like 30 per cent of the solid waste that goes into the dump is vegetable waste. It's a waste in two ways because you're filling up the dump and it's a waste because you're wasting all the nutrition that can go back into the earth."
One thing that the 100 Mile Community Garden needs more of these days is volunteers, Jarvis said. While initially there were around a dozen or so people who regularly helped plant, weed and water the beds, as time has gone on that number has shrunk. Jarvis noted many of the original volunteers were on the older side, like him, and have all begun to retire, leaving only around four consistent gardeners.
This summer, Jarvis said they have been lucky enough to get a federal grant and hire a summer student to help out, but are still hoping to attract new volunteers as well.
"They'll be offering their service to the community and it's a really good chance to get out and meet people. It's a good way to get a little bit of exercise and learn how to grow vegetables and look after the land," Jarvis said, noting that any unused produce is donated to the 100 Mile House Food Bank Society.
Anyone looking to volunteer in the garden is invited to come talk to Jarvis or any of the other gardeners whenever they see them at the garden, typically in the morning on Tuesday or Wednesday. Failing that, they can reach out to them via bandp2@shaw.ca or contact Jarvis directly at 250-791-7284.
