Community Garden Gets Green Light

Local residents Kirsten Bansen Weigle and James Hill have cleared the first significant hurdle in bringing a community garden to St. Michael.

In a unanimous decision earlier this week, the St. Michael City Council approved a resolution to devote a 15,000-square-foot parcel of land to establish the garden.

The site is located on Frankfort Parkway, just east of Naber Avenue, and will include 21 15-by-15 plots that residents and non-residents can rent a year at a time.

"Community gardens are all the rage right now," Weigle explains. "The idea for the St. Michael garden is based on the core idea of exposing people, especially young people, to gardening."

When she is not crusading for the St. Michael environment, Weigle doubles as the full-time manager of the Maple Grove farmers market.

"I think a lot of people have lost the idea of where food comes from," Weigle explained. "This is an opportunity to reestablish that connection."

Community gardening is just the beginning of the positive influence from the project. While the concept was designed around renting plots to townhome and apartment residents who may not have access to gardening plots, several other groups are interested as well. 

"At least one girl scout troop has rented a plot with the aim of donating the food to the Hanover Food Shelf at St. Paul's Lutheran Church," Weigle said. "There are also plenty of people who love fresh vegetables but don't want to plow up their own yards."

But despite its successes at the administrative level, Weigle and Hill understand that the city council vote is only the first step in the journey.   

"We would be so excited to partner with the school district and eventually bring gardening into the school curriculum. We know regulatory and economic challenges exist there, though," Weigle said. 

Marc Weigle, St. Michael community development director and husband to Kirsten, led the discussion at the city council meeting earlier this week. 

"This is one of those projects where you have to just jump in and see how it goes," Marc Weigle told the council. "The City of Rogers established two similar gardens in 2010 and now they have a huge waiting list."

Everyone involved in the project hopes for similar success in St. Michael.

"We want to thank the school district and the City (of St. Michael). Without them this would never have been possible," Kirsten Bansen Weigle said. 

Interested parties can apply for one of the 21 plots on the St. Michael city website. Completed applications can be submitted at either the Albertville or St. Michael city halls.