Nick and Gemma Fielder tend to raise their beds in the Common Ground Gardens plot, while the distant Ann Monroe carries weeds to a pile of compost.Photo: Todd Mo
June 27, 2022 — Tri-lakes gardeners participating in a community greening project in Saranac Lake this summer go out to connect with their neighbors, provide people with affordable food, and create beautiful things for people to enjoy. Say it’s one of the best ways to make it.
At some point in the social distance of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toddmo found a group of gardeners in the common ground gardens of Saranac Lake who wanted to gather in the soil.
Community gardens play a major role in coping with the effects of pandemics, providing not only fresh local vegetables, but also a source of social support and emotional well-being during this crisis. I am.
Ann and John Monroe have recently retired and are new residents of Adirondack. They moved here in Mexico, New York, near Lake Ontario. “We survived the first winter,” says Anne. “I’m glad to be here because this is great.” Their plans include spinach, lettuce, peas, beets, collards and kale. “Our backyard is small, shaded, and deer pass through it every day, so nothing grows there,” says John with a laugh.
The Common Ground Garden is located on land donated by the Adirondack Medical Center a few years ago as part of a healthy heart campaign. This includes experienced and novice gardeners. Hospital staff, churches, food pantry volunteers, and local gardeners looking for more space. It is entirely run by volunteers. Emily Bell Dinant is one of the organizers who has agreed to help rejuvenate local interest in the common ground gardens that currently exist on Instagram and Facebook.
“Starting farming in Adirondack is not easy. It lasts because we all need food.”-Emily-Berdinand
Dinant grew up in Queens and Brooklyn and has a background as a community organizer and community garden. “It was great to find it here in Saranac Lake’s new community,” she says. “This is a true intergenerational space, with lots of people coming from many other places that you may not have met elsewhere. Therefore, there is a lot of real engagement.”
Jemafielder and her husband Nick moved to Saranac Lake a few years ago. Gemma is one of the organizers behind the community garden. They both love the outdoors and gardening. Gemma and Nick run a catering business and are taking care of multiple plots this summer. They want to use everything they grow in baked goods and other recipes. “I went to BOCES when I was in high school and said this, but that’s what I want to do in my life, so it’s a dream, right?” Nick says.
Co-organizers Emily-Bell Dinan and Gemma Fielder say they’re looking for a sign to announce the harvest festival and pumpkin party this fall. The goal is a community garden with a new role to improve access to fresh food and a communal space for socializing.