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The trees in downtown Globe are starting to bloom, wildflowers in Peridot are showing off their colors, and the rainy days of March are pointing to the coming of spring. It’s time again to work the soil and plant seeds for future gardens that will one day produce much needed vegetables for the community.
Volunteers from the non-profit group Copper Canyon Community Gardens know all to well the importance of bringing fresh produce to Globe-Miami’s food desert. Their mission is simple: Build gardens that produce healthy food. What started out as a basic idea has grown into two gardens in the ground and a third on launch. Each project with its individual goals benefits the community by promoting education, unity, and self-sustainability.
Local soil scientist Paul Buck is one of the founding members of CCCG. Buck has been busy rounding up weekend volunteers that aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. “It’s really a group effort,” said Buck. “As far as the gardens go, we have worked on our own cash flow for the Nob Hill garden with a donation from the Balaam’s.” The Nob Hill garden is located behind the Nob Hill Grocery Store at 339 N. Devereaux St. in Globe. JP Cruz, the owner of the Nob Hill Grocery Store, donated the property to be utilized by the neighborhood since he had no other plans for the land at this time. “Nob Hill Garden’s goal is to help neighbors get to know one another and create a space for people to be together and relax without the strains of private property and assumptions of others,” said Buck. “As far as what is grown, we hope that people from the neighborhood feel free to grow whatever produce they would like and the produce is for their own consumption.”
The CCCG will be planting a couple of plots at the Nob Hill site for sales at the Globe-Miami Farmer’s Market this summer. “We are looking to grow as much of a variety of produce as the space allows completely chemical free,” said Buck. “We plan of using ‘green’ methods of insect and disease control.” Buck also added that after speaking with Farmer’s Market Manager Holly Brantley, there is a need at the market for fresh tomatoes.
The Globe Education Center is also hooking up with CCCG and moving their natural science class to the Nob Hill site. “We will be instructing the students on gardening, soils and other earth sciences on Friday afternoons this spring,” said Buck.
The other garden is located at the Globe-Miami Food Bank. The food bank is funding the infrastructure on their property and according to Buck is a demonstration of self-sustainability. “We want to see how much of the produce the food bank will use in their weekly baskets,” said Buck. “This is to see if the cost of business is decreased and the quality of food is increased by not utilizing canned or imported products.” He added that this will entirely depend upon the food bank utilizing recipients as volunteers to help run the garden since all of the CCCG volunteers have full time jobs.
The third garden is still it’s planning stages. It will located at Miami High School and will be launched in the fall. “We are working with Principal Glen Lineberry to begin establishing agriculture and engineering courses through school,” said Buck. “We look to plant produce to use in the cafeteria along with orchard trees for fruit/nuts and landscaping to showcase the whole project.”
The Copper Canyon Community Gardens is always looking for hardworking volunteers. For more information on how to join the group visit their facebook page at www.facebook.com/AZCCCG or email the group at azcccg@outlook.com. Interested volunteers can also call 928-812-3208.
The Copper Canyon Community Gardens group has been hard at work on this community garden located behind the Nob Hill Grocery Store in Globe. After a recent weekend work party the group has two garden beds sifted and free of clay and rocks. They are getting ready for seeding and planning on building a retaining wall for the garden. Photo by Andrea Justice
Andrea Justice started working for the Copper Area News in Feb. 2013. She is the primary reporter and photographer for Copper Futures, a special edition highlighting exceptional students and athletes from Globe, Miami, and San Carlos. Andrea works as a copy editor for several of the publications produced by Copper Area News. She is the former managing editor of the Arizona Silver Belt and San Carlos Apache Moccasin, and has over 10 years of experience working in a newsroom. She has received awards for photojournalism and design from the Arizona Newspaper Association. Andrea has strong ties to the Globe, Miami and San Carlos communities. She is a Globe High School and Eastern Arizona College graduate. She lives in Globe with her husband, Justin, and their three children, Brandon, Isiah, and Ryliegh.
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