With a new year, there is a seed of hope growing in our own neighborhood. The Estrella Realtor Networking Group (ERNG), 40 local realtors with a passion for Estrella, has been brainstorming ideas to give back to our community. ERNG wanted to do something year-round for our neighborhood when an old idea blossomed: a Community Garden. This grassroots idea was designed for like-minded people to gather and grow seeds of hope, share their knowledge of gardening, and help others do the same. The group believes the addition of a community garden will be a welcome retreat for so many of our neighbors.
After hours of research, a proposal was submitted for review and approval by the Estrella Board of Directors. In December, we submitted plans to the Design Review Committee to develop the community garden on a scenic lot located at Presidio. We are happy to report that those designs were APPROVED!
This 55 x 55 graded lot has access to parking, electrical and water – items that were not available when this idea was brought up in the past. The concept is to have 16 individual raised beds, each with their own spigot to control watering for their own individual needs; this self-sustained garden will offer an exciting new way to learn about establishing gardens in the Sonoran Desert.
Currently, ERNG, Pioneer Title, and Allyson Knappenberger with DK Home Loans have donated more than $6,000 to support the infrastructure; material donations were generously provided by the developer, ASM Masonry, Diamondback Concrete and Agave Landscape. We hope to break ground in February 2021 for March planting.
The mission statement created for this project is, “Volunteers committed to developing a self-sustainable community garden in Estrella. We do this by bringing together diverse groups of people, with a focus on youth development. Together we strive to develop and beautify the site and empower community members of all ages and abilities.”
For more information regarding reserving your own plot or volunteering, please visit the Local Estrella Realtors website or the Estrella Community Garden Volunteers Facebook page.
