Garden comes to life after dedicated efforts

BY Aprile McKinnon

The Community Garden project in Canyon Lake, once just a Kelly Lopez dream, has broken ground and dirt being turned in preparation for planting.

The idea sprouted in January 2022 when Kelly initially approached the Canyon Lake POA recreation department with the idea to set aside property for members of the community to plant their gardens.  The POA gave her a roadmap. It advised her to start a club, obtain 501c3 status, and raise funds to bring the project to life. The club, Canyon Lake Community Gardeners Club, was born and it embraced the challenge with enthusiasm.

The property has been identified and set aside for the community garden. It has reached a point where work days are scheduled and times set. Saturday mornings from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. have been working, but it is best to check in with Kelly to see when the next work days are planned.

The Canyon Lake community garden is coming to life. Members of the Canyon Lake Community Gardeners Club have been spending Saturday mornings working the lot provided by the Canyon Lake POA. Soon, raised beds will be constructed and made available to community members who wish to plant gardens. Photo by Terry Makeig

The garden, situated on property owned by the POA, is designated exclusively for all members of the Canyon Lake community. How individuals will obtain a raised bed is still being determined by the POA. The POA is currently working with the garden club to set rules and guidelines for the garden.

There will be a total of 20 beds initially, and the POA has provided funding for essential aspects of the garden‘s setup, including the fence, wood for the raised beds, grass removal, and the path. They will also cover the cost of water, furthering the community‘s ability to create a thriving garden space.

Dedicated club members are eagerly contributing their effort to make this garden a success. Their to-do list includes constructing the raised beds, installing a fence screen along the Quail Valley and Canyon Lake border, eliminating rocks, setting up a compost bin and a tool shed, planting trees, and implementing a drip irrigation system.

Despite the daunting workload, the club is driven by the shared goal of seeing the community garden flourish in Canyon Lake.

An exciting fall gardening workshop is in the works and is scheduled for mid-September at the community garden site. Thanks to Tractor Supply Co. there will also be a seed giveaway. This workshop will be open to everyone in the community and will provide valuable hands-on experience in preparing a garden for the fall and planting crops.

The organizers aim to have a demonstration raised bed built by then, allowing participants to learn firsthand in an actual bed they will be using while gaining practical gardening knowledge.

A garage sale is set for Sept. 22 and 23 to help raise funds for the community garden. The club is currently taking donations for garage sale. For more information contact Kelly at 951-609-6723.