On this edition of Ag Matters, Amy sits down with Valley Garden Club members to talk about their mission and upcoming plant sale!
AUTHOR | Kerry Nelson
For the past thirty years, the Valley Garden Club has played an active role in the growing community of the Mat-Su region. Established in 1988, some of the club’s very first plant sales took place in the front yards of the original founders. Coming a long way since, members Dan & Sue sit down to discuss the club’s mission and popular annual plant sale.
Retiring Into Active Valley Garden Club Duty
Sue has been a Valley Garden Club member since retiring five years ago. Her Alaskan adventure began when she relocated from South Dakota to be close to her siblings. There must have been something really special about Alaska, seeing as all six of them had moved to the state but her. Becoming a member of the garden club was a natural decision for her, having married a farmer and being a gardener all of her life.
Dan was stationed in Alaska during the 90’s while serving in the Air Force. When the force moved him out ‘kicking and screaming’, he vowed to come back someday. He made good on that vow and moved back up here with his wife when they retired. The house they bought needed a lot of landscaping work. After a few years of planting perennials and watching them die, the two admitted to their need for help and became members of the garden club.
Valley Garden Social Club
One of the Valley Garden Club’s main goals is to share knowledge with its members and the public. You do not need to have any prior gardening experience or even have a garden to become a member. Container gardeners are also welcomed. Many people do not have access to good soil or adequate space for in-ground gardens or raised beds.
Most of the club’s members are new to Alaska and have tired of having dead gardens each year. “Gardening up here is so different than anywhere else,” Sue explains, “joining the club is a stepping-off point for getting help from each other.” Even avid gardeners who come up from the Lower 48 often need guidance.
Membership is $20/year, which includes monthly meetings and events. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month in the basement of the First Baptist Church of Wasilla at 10:30am. Each meeting features a local speaker, and an annual calendar is published with insight on meeting topics. June’s meeting takes the form of their annual picnic, and July’s offers a garden tour. Most wrap up around 1:00pm, and members are encouraged to bring a potluck dish to share.
As a civic and social organization, Sue points out that the emphasis often lands on the social part. One of the main reasons that people come to monthly meetings is to visit and catch up with each other. Of course, a lot of tips and tricks are passed back and forth too. With 114 members, there’s certainly plenty of knowledge to be shared.
Valley Garden Club On A Beautiful Mission
The second goal of the Valley Garden Club is to provide community Beautification Grants. Each April, grant applications are available for any local 501(c)(3) organization or public agency to fill out. A different group agrees to make up the grant review committee each year. Awards are granted to varying types of community projects within a month of applying.
They look to fund organizations who are seeking to create visually pleasing spaces that also serve a positive function in the community. Past awards have been granted to Grow Palmer, helping the free edible garden spaces in downtown Palmer get their start. Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska received a grant last year to install a fairy garden in order to provide patients at Mat-Su Adult Day Services a sense of purpose and peace. Funds were awarded to develop a memorial rose garden at My House in Wasilla, an organization who helps homeless youth.
Popular Plant Sale Benefits All
Funds are raised with an annual plant sale to make the Beautification Grants possible. The sale initially began to cover club expenses. Since membership has increased and the sale has gained popularity, the club has been able to put money back into the community.
The sale takes place each year on Memorial Day Saturday, 9-3 at the Boys & Girls Club of Wasilla. Valley Garden Club members from Lazy Mountain to Willow to Big Lake bring plants to sell. Thousands of plants are available and include varieties of herbs, veggie starts, houseplants, container plants, perennials, berries, flowers, trees & shrubs. Dan mentions something about a “wall of tomatoes.” That seems like reason enough to check it out!
Beyond supporting the local community, purchasing plants from local growers benefits your garden efforts. Plants that these members have brought to sell are tried and true. The chance of finding varieties that do well in Alaska’s climate is greater than making that purchase from a big chain garden center. Plus, you’ll find many unique options from all of the different growers and their combined years of experience.
Recycling Back To The Community
The Valley Garden Club has recently partnered with the Valley Community Recycling Center to help recycle garden plastic. Last year, the club ran a trial for a month in which they picked up old plastic and redistributed it to small growers who needed it. The response was overwhelming – they were able to keep 1,000 pounds of plastic from going into the landfill.
This year, the recycling center will have a designated space for people to drop off their garden plastic from May through September. The garden club will pick it up each week for redistribution to other growers. It can be any type of garden plastic – from pots to black plastic mulch. Not only will small growers have access to free supplies, Dan estimates that it will save 3-4,000 pounds from being added to the landfill this time around. It’s a win-win!
The Valley Garden Club represents so much more than garden and plant enthusiasts. It’s a group of people who are deeply in tune with Alaska’s natural cycles and capabilities. It is a melding of curious minds and years of experience. It’s people who have love for their community and strive to give back to it. It is community.