Red Bay community garden prepares for second season

RED BAY — Red Bay’s community garden is heading into its second season with a new distribution plan and an electric fence aimed at protecting this year’s crops from the deer that damaged part of last year’s harvest.

Mayor Mike Shewbart said the garden will provide fresh produce for residents, but organizers will pick and distribute the harvest instead of allowing public access to the area.

David Clark, director of the Red Bay community garden and farmers market, said he and former Mayor Charlene Fancher started the project last year withhelpfromtheFranklin County Extension office in Russellville.

Clark said he had been trying to launch the garden for a couple of years before it came together. The first season produced squash, pumpkins and peppers. Deer damaged some crops, including green beans.

He said last fall’s garden also included mustard greens, turnip greens and radishes. Residents picked those crops themselves, he said, and sometimes 10 or 12 people gathered there at a time.

Shewbart said the city plans to work with churches, community leaders and the farmers market to get produce to residents.

Clark said the Extension office helped launch the project by providing support for raised beds and other materials.