Pharming Phields 2010 - July 14, 2010

Pharming Phields

The 2010 Khoury Victory Garden

Last year this editor entertained you with photos of the Khoury-Faccento Victory Garden, my first attempt at growing flowers and vegetables in raised beds. It was a huge success, providing a great deal of satisfaction, raising awareness and causing some of you to start your own backyard gardens.

Khoury-Faccento Victory Garden - May 11, 2009

Horticulture Phields: Khoury-Faccento Victory Garden, Part 2 - July 22, 2009

This garden has been expanded this year with the addition of 8 more beds. But even this was not enough to occupy my time and energy. Now, the farming experience has been raised exponentially with a new site located conveniently behind my store on Main Street.

I couldn't help but notice a small piece of underutilized land next to a parking lot owned by the Fort Valley Utility Commission. All that ever grew there was Johnson grass, Bahaia grass, nut grass and about a hundred other types of weeds. The thought occurred that this land could be made more productive and used as a community garden with a little sweat equity and care. The result is what you will see below.

Water is a necessary ingredient for a garden and even though the city says it can't provide free water, literally hundreds of gallons of FREE water were recycled from the runoff of hanging baskets, air conditioner drain pipes and rainwater. Sounds silly, but it works. This water would otherwise have run off into the city's storm water sewers.

Maybe this experience will inspire others into thinking green by recycling water and turning more public land into something useful.

One last note: Blueberries are ready at South Peach Park and they are FREE.