NDG community gardeners want locals to start sampling the goods

A group of volunteer horticulturists in NDG are doing everything they can to encourage the public to take part in their communal produce project.

"People, please eat the free food! Take a bit here and there and the plants will continue to produce over the summer," Incredible Edibles NDG wrote in a recent Facebook post. 

The group is responsible for 14 planters in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, which are maintained by a team of about 20 volunteers.

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Not everything is going according to plan for the benevolent organic gardeners — the public is having a hard time spotting the opportunity to collect free produce. When they do, getting them to harvest the herbs and vegetables properly is still a work in progress.

"People don't know how to pick vegetables," said Jane Barr, an environmental consultant who works with Incredible Edibles.

"I met a woman the other day who actually didn't know where the beans were. I had to show her how to pick beans."

Volunteers are at the three planter locations watering them daily. While there, they encourage people to collect some veggies and herbs for home.

The group has also put up signs to help people identify the plants and know how to harvest them.

Right now the group has an abundance of kale. They're asking those taking some for themselves to be mindful not to remove the entire plant and leave enough so that it can regenerate.

Incredible Edibles is always looking for volunteers so anyone interested in getting involved in the project is encouraged to contact them.

The planters are located:

• Along Somerled Ave. between Walkley Ave. and Cavendish Boul.
• At the post office on the corner of Wilson Avenue and Sherbroooke St.West
• At Carrefour jeunesse emploi - Notre-Dame-de-Grâce at 6370 Sherbrooke St. West.