Shrewsbury Community Garden Grows

With its first planting season over and done, the new Shrewsbury Community Garden will be more official and organized for its sophomore season next year.

The community garden bylaws were approved at Monday night's Shrewsbury Borough Council meeting.

The new bylaws state the garden's purpose — recreation and the preservation of open space, among other things — to regulate membership rules and fee responsibilities. The exact membership fees for each season are to be determined by the Shrewsbury Gardening Committee.

The idea of a community garden was conceived more than a year ago, in July 2011, eventually resulting in a garden committee being formed.

Nevertheless, initiatives to get the project underway have moved slowly, partially due to the fact that public interest had to be gauged through open meetings and interest sessions.

Though gardeners hoped to start planting in May of this year, planting didn't actually get underway until late July. The garden's . It then closed for the season on Dec. 1.

This year, fresh produce from the garden's final harvest of the season was donated to those in need in nearby Sea Bright in Sandy's aftermath.

Shrewsbury is far from alone in its endeavors and obstacles faced when it comes to community gardens. Red Bank has faced various problems of its own while trying to establish a community garden in the borough for more than a year as well. 

According to Councilman Jeffrey DeSalvo, people will be able to sign up for plots in the Shrewsbury community garden on Jan. 14, 2013. 

Photos of the community garden and information about the Shrewsbury garden club can be viewed on their Facebook page. Though gardening may not be "in season" at this time of year, the group nevertheless participates in winter activities — including decorating Borough Hall for the holidays in addition to a room at Drumthwacket, the Governor's Mansion.