A community garden program launched last year in Shelbyville is expanding into new neighborhoods.
Let's Grow Together was founded in 2017 by one of the Leadership Shelby County teams; LSC is a program of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce to develop new community leaders.
The first garden went in at 816 Elm St., just south of Colescott Street, and produced a variety of fresh vegetables for the neighborhood and for local food pantries.
Now, three new gardens are to be planted in addition to the first one, said Alyse Deutsch, one of the founders of Let’s Grow Together.
“They’re all Habitat lots,” she said.
The program works this way – Habitat for Humanity, the organization that builds houses for the poor, and the city of Shelbyville partner to clear out dilapidated houses through a blight elimination program.
City officials condemn the property and cover the cost of demolition using state funding from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.
Habitat then takes ownership of the vacant lot for a future building project.
It may be years before that project begins so, until then, Let’s Grow Together steps in and plants the lot.
Besides a salad garden at 816 Elm St., Deutsch said in an email that the community gardeners this year will also be planting Habitat lots at three locations
“That last lot will have an ADA-raised bed,” she said, referring to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The 618 Elm St. location will be a salsa garden; the Taylor Street location will be a pollinator garden, Deutsch said.
As a whole, the four lots form a one-mile walking path, she said.
Brandywine Creek Farms of Greenfield, a partner in planting the first garden, has agreed to spearhead and manage the Let’s Grow Together effort in Shelbyville, she said.
In addition, Indiana Grand Racing & Casino has confirmed it will be the main sponsor for the Let’s Grow Together effort this year.