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Whately Giving Garden Program to begin with seed-and-plant swap May 17
Summary
Organizers introduced the Whately Giving Garden Program and scheduled an inaugural seed-and-plant swap for May 17 to help residents share seeds and plant starts, with a longer-term goal of establishing a community garden and possibly a farmers market.
Organizers of the Whately Giving Garden Program told the Agricultural Committee on April 22 that they will start with a recurring seed-and-plant swap intended to help address food insecurity and encourage residents to grow their own food.
Amy Lavallee, joined by Julie Wagner and Erica Ropner, presented the program concept (Exhibit B) and said the swap would occur every couple of weeks so residents can drop off and pick up seeds and plant starts. "The ultimate goal is creating a community garden," the presenters said, describing the swap as a low-barrier way to build participation and resources. The group is coordinating informally with Easthampton, which is launching a similar program, and discussed future ideas including a farmers market.
Committee members asked whether a Whately Garden Club exists and discussed recruiting volunteers and providing how-to guidance for planting, maintenance and food preservation. Organizers set the first seeds-and-starts event for May 17 (Mother's Day weekend) as an initial outreach step.
No formal committee vote was required to announce or begin planning the seed-and-plant swap; organizers and committee members agreed to continue developing logistics and outreach.
