Garden Grows Much More Than Just Vegetables

SAINT JOHN – Nurturing a garden and watching it grow has evoked fond memories for many of the men living at the Salvation Army Booth Centre, Karen Powell said.

Enlarge Photo Matthew Sherwood/Telegraph-JournFrom left, Stan Kozac, Gary Knoor, Ricky Hebert, George Williams, Karen Powell, support service co-ordintor with the Salvation Army, and Chris Jeffrey bite down on carrots that were pulled from the St. James Street Salvation Army Booth Centre’s garden. The garden was planted on June 10. Powell is the support services co-ordinator for the centre, a place that houses and helps men dealing with mental health issues.

The lot neighbouring the Booth Centre was donated 10 years ago by a supporter of the organization and for years, staff at the centre have been deciding what to do with it.

Powell said when the organization heard about the community garden near Rockwood Park, staff thought it would be a great idea for their land. Residents at the Booth Centre broke ground on June 10.

The centre’s residents have been tending to the garden for months and are finally seeing the vegetables of their labour. Everything grown in the garden goes right back to the centre’s table for meals.

So far the Booth Centre has harvested beet greens, a resounding favourite at meal times, and lettuce. Other vegetables growing in the garden include cherry tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, squash, swiss chard and green beans.

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