Newark Park Community Garden gets top marks

The community garden in Newark Park is officially open, it has a great-looking sign, says organizer Julian Trachsel, and gardeners are frantically  getting plants in the ground.

There was a “soft opening” Saturday to celebrate the Niven Road garden and give the gardeners a chance to meet each other — socializing is one of the benefits of a community garden.

The garden plots were fully booked, but with one couple backing out, there is one more plot available, Trachsel says.

About 25 to 30 people were in attendance Saturday, including Lord Mayor Betty Disero, and J.B. Hopkins, the town’s parks supervisor, who was a great help in getting the garden established.

Keith Bullen and his wife Mary Webster were two who attended. They have a plot, and are growing butternut squash, turnips, leeks, cauliflower, peppers and marigolds. He says they had a community garden plot elsewhere last year, and “this is heavenly luxury” in comparison.

Trachsel, he says, “has done an exceptionally good bit of work here.”