A group of 32 volunteers recently walked through the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots to glean any leftover vegetables following the close of the 2021 gardening season. The volunteers collected 1,705 pounds of produce which was donated to Loaves and Fishes Community Services. Additionally, over the Summer, donations including the yield from the master gardeners’ Giving Garden and from other gardeners’ donations produced 2,109 pounds of vegetables. The 2021 harvest more than doubled what was collected in 2020.
One of the master gardeners, Jan Gricus, commented that in spite of the drought, this year has been a good year for gardening.
“Because of the dry Spring, the garden soil was easier for the Park District to till when preparing the plots for the season,” she said. “As a result, the soil was excellent to work with. This is in contrast to a very wet Spring, which leaves the soil clumpy and harder to till. Although dry conditions continued through the Summer, gardeners had the option of watering more often and the plants thrived in the sunshine. During years when there is too much rain and overcast skies, plants suffer and there is not much that gardeners can do to compensate.”
Volunteers at the gleaning included 20 master gardeners, a few Garden Plot Ambassadors, and individuals from Naperville Community Gardeners, the Naperville Evening Kiwanis, Molex, and WDSRA’s day program that meets at Sportsman’s Park.
“It was a fun group with a great heart for helping and staying to the end,” said volunteer manager Lynnette Hoole.
To learn more about gardening at the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots, visit www.napervilleparks.org/gardenplots.
—Naperville Park District