JENNINGS: Popularity of community garden keeps on growing
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| David Kennedy photo - Larry Schisler, 61, leads a 39-member team responsible for the thriving Clifton-McLaran community garden in Jennings. Garden members individually tend 20-foot or 42-foot plots of land, on which flowers and vegetables are planted. |
The gazebo is just one of many artfully renovated objects found within Jennings' Clifton-McLaran community garden.
Schisler, 61, is president of the city's beautification committee. Now retired, he worked for 23 years as a private insurance investigator and, for 15 years, as a criminal investigator for the Missouri Department of Social Services.He and wife Elaine have lived in the city for 28 years.
Schisler said while the garden project actually began in 1998, it didn't get much support. Over the past two years, however, Schisler has re-energized some of Jennings' greener-thumbed residents and brought new life to a neglected corner of the city.
Gateway Greening awarded first-place honors and grants to the garden in 2007 and 2008. Schisler said he thinks the consecutive awards are remarkable.
"I've been involved in Gateway Greening for more than eight years and, to my knowledge, winning two years in a row is unprecedented," he said. "We went from nothing to prize winner, and we were competing against 170 community gardens, some 10 years old."
Schisler gives the credit to the 39 garden members, ages 19 to 91, who carefully tend their own plots of land measuring 20 or 42 feet long.
Five organically grown flower beds line the garden's perimeter. Garden members have planted a variety of flowers on their allotted land as well as a vegetable smorgasbord including onions, radishes, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes and cabbage.
"With green peppers going for $1 each at the store, a family of four can eat from one plot all summer long," Schisler said.
Gardeners also have planted inventive pieces of artwork they created themselves. Schisler called them "signature pieces."
"We invited all the members to create pieces of art for their plots (of land)," he said.
Among the many artworks are a lighthouse and a birdbath made of painted cans, numerous birdhouses, a scarecrow made of florist bricks, a small wooden chair, and painted rocks and gourds.
Carole Weusthoff, 61, serves as vice president of the beautification committee. A retired teacher from Hazelwood West High School, she lives down the block from the garden. She graced her plot of land with a scarecrow made of florist bricks and another made of cans, as well as unusually shaped rocks, one painted to look just like a tennis shoe.
"This is a good hobby, to be outside instead of being stuck inside," Weusthoff said. "We both live very close (to the garden) and we compliment one another. If he (Schisler) doesn't have an idea, I do."
Schisler responded, "It was Carole's idea for the satellite dish. She's the idea person. Unfortunately, there's the brain and then there's the brawn."
Weusthoff protested, reminding Schisler that she has done her share of mixing cement and performing tasks that require hands-on labor.
The city of Jennings has allocated $1,000 for the garden project. Weusthoff said the funds are used to pay the water bill.
"When the city doesn't come through, we just do it ourselves," she said. "When we needed dirt (before), we filled five-gallon asphalt cans by hand, hauled them over to the garden and dumped them ourselves. Before we had water hook-ups, we filled water jugs at home and carried them to the garden to water our plants."
When it comes to community gardens, a little word of mouth can go a long way, Schisler said.
"The whole concept of community-based gardens should be promoted," he said. "It has sparked interest among (residents). (In Jennings) there are no fees, no dues and a long list of people waiting to become members."
