Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Community Garden Fundraiser Event Saturday

Story by Anna Oakes

Powered by solar energy, Southern Exposure performs at last year’s Community Garden fundraiser. The third annual Sustainable Living Fundraiser benefiting the Leola Street Community Garden takes place on Saturday, August 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the garden on the corner of Pride Drive and Leola Street, across from Wal-Mart. The event will feature live music, information about sustainable living and plenty of fresh food.

Founded in September 2005 by Matt Cooper, the community garden is now in its third growing season. The garden provides plots, for a small fee, to community members who do not have their own space for planting. The garden is part of the Appalachian Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable communities through networking, education and research.

The garden has experienced significant growth in participation this year.
“We have doubled since the past two years,” Cooper said. “We have gone from 20 beds the past two years to 45 this year, with roughly 80 people involved in all of these garden beds, and 90 percent of them are very productive.”

At the fundraiser event on Saturday, Southern Exposure will perform using a solar-powered public address system. Earth Fare will provide sandwiches, and garden growers are encouraged to bring a dish prepared fresh from their harvests. Organizations such as Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy, Turtle Island Preserve and WAMY Community Action will have information booths.
The community garden will accept donations at the event.

At 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, Earth Fare will hold a wine tasting benefiting the garden at the store’s location on King Street. Tickets are $10 and include heavy hors d’oeuvres and music.

The garden is also one of the stops on the High Country Farm Tour taking place in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3.
For more information, call Cooper at 828-773-5893 or click to www.leolastreetgarden.org.

Want To Go?

Date: Saturday, August 2
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Leola Street Community Garden, Boone
Cost: By donation