Community garden planned in Gordon this summer

GORDON, Neb. - As winter lingers, plans are in motion to bring something green to Gordon. A community garden is in the works near Hamilton Park, aiming to provide fresh produce and hands-on learning opportunities for local students.

During a recent Activate Gordon meeting, organizers discussed the initiative. The garden is expected to serve as a “Learning Garden,” where Gordon Elementary School students can help plant, water, and harvest crops. The produce will then be distributed back into the community, benefiting local families.

"It has been decided to make this a teaching garden as opposed to a small plot garden.  This means that all the beans, for example, will be in one spot. It helps limit cross-pollination and excessive weeds/weed problems in July and August when gardening becomes less fun," said Valerie Beel with Activate Gordon.

To make the garden a reality, organizers are seeking approximately $6,500 to cover irrigation and fencing supplies. Local garden club members have already stepped up by donating seeds, skills, and labor to bring the project to life.

"We are planning some traditional Native American vegetables and are reaching out to both the Native American and Hispanic demographics in the hopes of sharing cultural factors that are important to people," said Beel.