COMEUNITY CONNECTS GARDENERS IN KW
ComeUnity Roots Garden is one of over 80 community gardens that are part of the Waterloo Region Community Garden Network.
Located in Kitchener near the Iron Horse Trail behind Willow River Park, ComeUnity Roots Garden is working to address food insecurity with an emphasis on community.
ComeUnity Roots Garden is distinct from other community gardens in that gardeners work together to care for and maintain the garden as a group to grow organic foods for themselves and the community.
While many of the more traditional gardens operate individually, with each gardener responsible for their own plot of land, ComeUnity Roots Garden is one large communal plot.
“When I started gardening, I didn’t really know much about gardening, and what I learned, I learned by talking to people,” Rebekah Haynes, ComeUnity Roots Garden coordinator, said.
For those who are part of the garden, the communal effort to grow food often provides an opportunity for experienced gardeners to teach newer gardeners about food security and sustainability. Through this exchange of knowledge, gardeners can gain the skill and confidence to grow their own food.
“This seems to be a great way to build community. I’m very passionate about food security, and, doing things the way we do, it allows new gardeners to come in and learn. And it allows gardeners who have knowledge to share…so it’s very community-oriented,” Haynes said.
In terms of splitting up harvests, Haynes said the gardeners split things evenly or based on interest.
Anything left over is donated to one of five different organizations that feed people in need, such as Maurita’s Commissary Kitchen through The Working Centre.
With the price of food continuing to increase, Haynes said a community garden is a great option for people who are low-income.
“For people who are low-income, the food that’s available is, unfortunately, the stuff that not only contributes to bad health, but it actually contributes to [bad] mental health,” Haynes said. “We have so much stuff that’s processed and full of preservatives. And humans were not meant [to eat] that way.”
Haynes, who is low-income and has a disability, said accessing more natural foods was an extremely important component of her health journey.
“When you start and you’re able to eat food that is local, that’s just been picked, it’s not traveling thousands of miles and being sprayed with stuff…there’s all those things that just make such a huge difference,” Haynes said.
Haynes said the benefit of the community garden goes beyond food security.
“I see a world right now where, unfortunately, because of so much going on, both in the news and in people’s lives, the world is becoming a little bit toxic,” she said.
For the gardeners at ComeUnity Roots Garden, the garden is a space to connect with others and connect with nature.
“We can celebrate our triumphs together, and, if something goes wrong, we kind of hold each other up,” Haynes said.
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