On A Positive Note: Volunteers In Turtle Creek Turn Overgrown Baseball Field Into Community Garden
TURTLE CREEK, Pa. (KDKA) -- Seeds of change are producing a harvest of community pride next to the Hamilton Park playground in Turtle Creek.
Five years ago, a group of volunteers, including members of the Turtle Creek Development Corporation, started transforming an overgrown baseball field into a community garden. Home Plate Garden now grows zucchini, tomatoes, cantaloupe, sunflowers and more.
A grant from Grow Pittsburgh financed the first two years, but now the garden is sustained by donations and volunteers. Sales from the farm stand held on Tuesdays and Thursdays also helps.
Eileen Pickle gave KDKA's Kym Gable a tour.
"If you don't have money, that's OK," said Pickle. "It's whatever you want to take. We have really had some really nice, generous people and that makes up for the people who can't pay."
Volunteer Dale Bizub calls it a "labor of love."
"We don't have any local grocery stores," said Bizub. "No fresh produce, and you can't get any fresher than this."
Beth Hamill says kids in the neighborhood are especially curious about the garden.
"We wanted to start here as a garden, as a community stepping stone to get families together," said Hamill.
"We bring them in, give them tours, let them pick strawberries, green beans, just to perk their interest in how things grow," Hamill added. "And they really do seem enthralled by it so we're excited for that."
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