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Emmitsburg board approved butterfly garden; community garden plots to support local dinners and donations
Summary
Town board approved converting a community garden area into a butterfly garden; the Citizens Advisory Committee will take responsibility, the mayor offered $100 in seed money, and Green Team members reported nearly all community garden plots are allocated to local groups including churches, the senior center and Head Start.
The Emmitsburg Green Team reviewed recent approvals for a butterfly garden and discussed current use and stewardship of the community garden.
Chair (S1) reported that "the board did approve that last night, so that can move forward from here on out. That will be no longer the community garden back there. It'll be the butterfly." The Citizens Advisory Committee will manage next steps and the mayor offered $100 to help kick-start the project.
Members also provided a status update on community garden plots: Committee member (S5) said nearly all plots are assigned with three straw plots still available. Groups and participants named included a Lutheran church group, a recovery program (Celebrate Recovery), the senior center, Head Start and library programs. Committee member (S5) said the Lutheran church would plant cucumbers and tomatoes specifically for elderly parishioners, and the team discussed placing a labeled bin at the site for free produce with overripe items redirected to the compost bin.
Outreach to social services had mixed results. Committee member (S5) reported emailing the Seton Center, the food bank and a pregnancy center to offer plot space for shared produce but said several organizations did not respond. Members agreed to continue outreach and to coordinate with the Seton Center and others so donated food could be distributed or composted if unsuitable for donation.
Members also discussed related items including planting replacement trees beside the community garden if state action requires removing Main Street trees, and using the garden as a site for education and community dinners. "We pretty much also have the community based food system," Committee member (S5) said, describing monthly community dinners and a plot reserved to supply salad tomatoes.
Ending: Team members said they will construct a small box to store shared gardening tools and supplies and confirmed continued outreach to potential partners; the meeting adjourned after a voice vote.
