By Nancy Covert
Long postponed spring weekend chores such as washing cars, mowing lawns, and gardening—especially planting gardens—got underway this past weekend.
On Anderson Island (just a short ferry ride across Balch Passage) gardeners at the Johnson Farm community plot were enthusiastically weeding, cultivating and planting seeds in their plots , anticipating a bumper harvest come August.
One pair of Island gardeners, Jane Groppenberger and Lynne Jacobsen, spent the afternoon planting tomatoes, peppers, onions, and eggplants. Other community gardeners were planting raspberry canes, basil—one even planted grapes.
“This provides an opportunity for or community activity,” said the women, as they paused from their dirty work.
“It takes a long time to get our gardens going.”
Then, again, tending one’s garden provides “sometime to just come here to watch the birds.”
There are 30 individual garden plots adjacent to the Johnson Home Museum, available only to museum members. The farm property, once a big egg producing operation, officially halted production in 1975. Chicken coops were converted into display buildings to showcase island history. A well-stocked gift shop, specializing in island-made items, occupies one of the old chicken coops.
The picturesque farm, with its photogenic pole barn, is open from 10-4 on Saturday and noon-4 on Sunday, April through December). It’s located at 9306 Otso Point Road.
Note: Anderson Island Historical Society’s Farm Day is scheduled from 9-3 on May 28 at the farm. Veggie starts and native plants are available, says Groppenberger. For more information contact Donni Ybarra at 884-2922 or visit www.andersonislandhs.org
Locally grown produce is showcased at the Island’s Labor Day Fair in early September.