Column: What’s Up With Recreation?
by Kathy Thayer
Recreation Manager
It was a fun-packed, busy summer for Recreation. A successful Amphitheater season, more bus excursions than ever, a heavily attended swap meet and the Fourth of July Car and Craft show kept the Recreation team hopping, not to mention record use of the amenities. Capping off these events was the opening of the Community Gardens.
Despite a rocky start (pun intended) 135 gardeners have claimed their plots. If you have hesitated to apply for one, now is the time to jump on it. Everyone on the waitlist has been accommodated and 10’ by 10’ lots are available, plus a few ADA accessible ones.
In Southern California, there is no reason to wait for the spring planting season. Root vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and lettuces and leafy greens thrive in our mild winters. Working the land outside of the hot summer months has its advantages, not the least of offering vitamin D exposure so critical to our health. There are fewer pests and diseases to contend with, less watering required, and low maintenance crops for the winter minifarmer.
GRF’s new Community Gardens Coordinator Julie O’Brien has done a meticulous job in assisting residents in leasing their lots and in monitoring the progress of the new amenity. A recent donation of tools and wheelbarrows by the Golden Age Foundation is making gardening more convenient. Free compost is donated to amend the soil. VegTrugs are available for purchase for those who would rather not stoop to ground level.
LW residents are creative creatures evidenced by how they have designed their space. A walk through 1.8 acres is sure to inspire the would-be minifarmer in designing their own unique lot. If it captures your imagination, drop by the Recreation Office and chat with O’Brien about your own plein air adventure. She is available Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and passionate about making this new amenity a success.
The Recreation Department welcomes respectful input and inquiries on all things Recreation. For more information, email kathyt@lwsb.com.
Plenty of crops grow well in the winter, including root vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and leafy greens.
