Community Gardens can be found across the state of South Dakota, and I dare say that probably none of them are operated in the same manner. Community Gardens are just that a garden that is organized by member of the community where they are found. Some are totally self-sustaining by charging fees for the use of garden space, water, equipment etc. Other gardens such as the one in Lake Andes are established by grants from Voices for Food and the Lake Andes Food and Wellness Council. The Lake Andes Community Garden is supported by the Andes Central School District with placement on land owned by the School District. The garden is also supported by the City of Lake Andes by providing water free of charge to irrigate the garden throughout the growing season.

You may ask how I can get involved. The answer depends on how you intend to be part of the Community Garden. If you wish to grow food for your family, you may want a private plot within the Community Garden space. A plot can be rented for $15.00 for the season and that fee will be returned at the end of the season if the garden plot is cleaned up in the fall. For your $15.00 fee you can use any of the gardening tools, free water as I mentioned before, seeds or bedding plants are also available. Your responsibility is to maintain your garden space. Another way to get involved is to volunteer at the garden. If you have visited, you know that the garden has two large spaces 60’ by 75’ which are divided into individual plots and used as a community garden space. We need people to help with maintaining the community section of the garden. We need to record volunteer hours to obtain more grant funding for the garden. Helping with the maintenance can also mean that you can share in the harvest from the community garden.

The Community Garden information can be found at the Lake Andes Food and Wellness Council Facebook page, call the ROCS office which can help with gardening expenses or call Mary Jo Parker, at the Lake Andes Public Library.