Increasing Accessibility in the Community Garden

A community garden is about so much more than growing vegetables. It’s a place where neighbors connect, knowledge is shared across generations, fresh food becomes more accessible, and people from all walks of life can experience the joy and wellbeing that comes from tending the land. At the Tom Settlemire Community Garden, it truly takes a village to cultivate not only thriving gardens, but a thriving community.

This spring, that spirit of collaboration came to life as volunteers and BTLT staff came together to build two new raised garden beds, creating more accessible gardening opportunities for current and future plotholders. Staff from every department (including our Executive Director!) traded desks for shovels, wheelbarrows, saws, and drills, working side by side to measure, build, and fill the new beds with soil.

The work continued the following week when another delivery of soil arrived. Thanks to Seth Kroeck from Crystal Spring Farm, who generously brought his tractor over to help unload the soil, and an enthusiastic volunteer team from Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), the final wheelbarrows of soil were quickly moved into place. Together, dozens of hands transformed piles of lumber and soil into welcoming spaces ready to grow.

Within days, the raised beds were planted by a new plotholder with amaranth, flowers, and other seedlings. Today, they are flourishing alongside the rest of the Garden, a beautiful reminder of what can happen when a community works together!

For some gardeners, raised beds make it possible to continue gardening with greater comfort and accessibility. For others, they lower barriers to getting started, creating opportunities to grow fresh food, spend time outdoors, and build meaningful relationships with neighbors. These two new beds reflect our shared commitment to making the Tom Settlemire Community Garden a place where everyone has the opportunity to dig in, grow, and belong.

To everyone who lent a hand this spring, thank you!