A Taste Of Victory In The Garden—

Volunteers Plan

First Harvest Home Picnic

By Kendra Bobowick

Enjoy a taste of Newtown’s Victory Garden at its Harvest Home Picnic on September 25 at the Fairfield Hills location from 2 to 5 pm. “This should be super!” said Parks and Recreation Director Amy Mangold. Local musicians will entertain during a picnic welcoming residents to taste the home-grown yield following the garden’s first year in operation. Volunteers since the spring have tilled rows of fresh vegetables, flowers, and herbs to support Newtown’s food pantries.

Two days after Hurricane Irene created confusion and canceled plans across town, Victory Garden Coordinator Harvey Pessin did his best to continue business as usual. “I was going to plan it all this week, but I can’t get in touch with anybody.” Like most residents doing their best to cope with loss of electricity, he was out in town trying to speak with people, including Ms Mangold, who is also looking forward to the harvest picnic.

Powered by a generator on the Town Hall South location behind the Newtown Police Department, Ms Mangold was at work and quickly able to access by computer all the details: “Volunteer gardeners can bring their own meals, and something to share,” she said. The afternoon’s shared meal and music is meant to celebrate the garden and the volunteers and officials who cooperated to make it possible.

Mr Pessin thanks officials for making the garden’s site available to them, and he thanks the recreation department crews for doing much of the site work. Both he and Ms Mangold hope that all the volunteers bring along someone new who has never visited the garden, Ms Mangold said.

“We hope to raise awareness,” she said.

Although planning parties is “uncharted territory for me,” Mr Pessin hopes the garden’s first harvest party is well attended.

See the garden’s Facebook page at The Victory Garden Supporting Newtown’s Food Pantries, and visit the website at www.FoodPantryGarden.org. The party rain date is October 2.