
Belmont Community Garden on comeback trail
By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info
Plans are afoot to rejuvenate the downtown Belmont Community Garden.
The garden is located on N. Main Street behind the row on businesses on the Stowe Park side. The garden dates to 2014 and is on a lot owned by Jonathan Taylor.
The idea for a community garden was hatched when Taylor and some friends were sitting around relaxing.
The concept that was fleshed out involved creating a community garden, then renting 50 square foot raised bed plots in it for $50 a year. The garden flourished for several years, literally and figuratively speaking. However, a variety of challenges arose, not the least of which was water, and the garden shriveled to just a few operational beds.
Enter Ryan Murphy. He’s the director of sustainability and event coordinator at Honeycomb Café’ just up the street from the garden at 31 N. Main. Murphy is also schooled in the ways of growing things. He graduated from Clemson University in 2019 with a BA in Agriculture. In 2021 he earned a MA in Plant and Environmental Science.
The garden drew Murphy like a magnet.
“I have a passion for agriculture,” Murphy said.
Murphy and Taylor connected, and a deal was struck to let Murphy work at getting the garden going again as a 501 c3 non-profit.
“I want to bring back the garden’s energy,” Murphy said.
One of the first things that needed looking after in a garden refurbishment is making sure the remaining beds have enough water. The original large cistern is still in place, but water containers were needed closer to the crops. Murphy arranged for students in the Belmont Middle School Art Club to paint 55-gallon plastic water storage barrels in fanciful and colorful designs. The outcome not only gives the garden a festive look, but it will also water the plants via solar powered pumps and hoses.
“The barrels are the first step in fixing the water issue,” said Murphy.
For now, the garden will not be open to the public, but that could come in the future.
“I am working to get insurance,” Murphy said. “Hopefully by next spring we can offer garden memberships with around twenty rented beds.”
Murphy described other garden goings on.
“I have been tending the garden, but hope to incorporate volunteers in the near future as we continue to build out the community aspect of the garden,” he said. “We planted our summer crop in May and may flip some of the beds for a fall crop in September. For now, the garden is harvesting produce to sell to Heirloom Restaurant to generate monies to expand the garden. Beginning next year, our hope is to be working with a community organization that serves underprivileged members of our community so that 10% of harvest from the Community Garden is donated to those in need.”
Besides the garden, Murphy is also working to establish a farmer’s market in Belmont.
“The focus will be on local produce and natural products,” he said. “I am looking for a possible location.”
According to Murphy, a potential schedule would have the market open on Thursday once a month from 3:30pm-7pm during September, October, and November. There would be twenty to thirty vendors.
“The city is helping and it’s very exciting,” Murphy said.
alan@cfmedia.info
Plans are afoot to rejuvenate the downtown Belmont Community Garden.
The garden is located on N. Main Street behind the row on businesses on the Stowe Park side. The garden dates to 2014 and is on a lot owned by Jonathan Taylor.
The idea for a community garden was hatched when Taylor and some friends were sitting around relaxing.
The concept that was fleshed out involved creating a community garden, then renting 50 square foot raised bed plots in it for $50 a year. The garden flourished for several years, literally and figuratively speaking. However, a variety of challenges arose, not the least of which was water, and the garden shriveled to just a few operational beds.
Enter Ryan Murphy. He’s the director of sustainability and event coordinator at Honeycomb Café’ just up the street from the garden at 31 N. Main. Murphy is also schooled in the ways of growing things. He graduated from Clemson University in 2019 with a BA in Agriculture. In 2021 he earned a MA in Plant and Environmental Science.
The garden drew Murphy like a magnet.
“I have a passion for agriculture,” Murphy said.
Murphy and Taylor connected, and a deal was struck to let Murphy work at getting the garden going again as a 501 c3 non-profit.
“I want to bring back the garden’s energy,” Murphy said.
One of the first things that needed looking after in a garden refurbishment is making sure the remaining beds have enough water. The original large cistern is still in place, but water containers were needed closer to the crops. Murphy arranged for students in the Belmont Middle School Art Club to paint 55-gallon plastic water storage barrels in fanciful and colorful designs. The outcome not only gives the garden a festive look, but it will also water the plants via solar powered pumps and hoses.
“The barrels are the first step in fixing the water issue,” said Murphy.
For now, the garden will not be open to the public, but that could come in the future.
“I am working to get insurance,” Murphy said. “Hopefully by next spring we can offer garden memberships with around twenty rented beds.”
Murphy described other garden goings on.
“I have been tending the garden, but hope to incorporate volunteers in the near future as we continue to build out the community aspect of the garden,” he said. “We planted our summer crop in May and may flip some of the beds for a fall crop in September. For now, the garden is harvesting produce to sell to Heirloom Restaurant to generate monies to expand the garden. Beginning next year, our hope is to be working with a community organization that serves underprivileged members of our community so that 10% of harvest from the Community Garden is donated to those in need.”
Besides the garden, Murphy is also working to establish a farmer’s market in Belmont.
“The focus will be on local produce and natural products,” he said. “I am looking for a possible location.”
According to Murphy, a potential schedule would have the market open on Thursday once a month from 3:30pm-7pm during September, October, and November. There would be twenty to thirty vendors.
“The city is helping and it’s very exciting,” Murphy said.