Local garden helping kids grow

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - What started as a garden for Dennis Lab School, has blossomed into a community garden that hosts a farmer's market each week.

The WE Grow Decatur Garden is located just off of Fairview Avenue, on Decatur's west end. The garden, managed by Dennis Lab Students, Millikin University and volunteers produces vegetables for community members to buy. One student who helps maintain the garden explains, the garden isn't just for Dennis Lab, it's a community garden.

The Millikin University garden intern Kaia Ball says, "This was a collaboration between Dennis Lab and Millikin a few years back."

The area the garden is located was once a vacant lot owned by Millikin, but with the help of families and volunteer's they were able to transform the lot into a garden.

"It's grown and grown and grown until it's the 12 boxes we have now," Ball explains.

Each Thursday evening from June until September the garden hosts a Farmer's Market at the corner of Fairview Avenue and Wood Street. There, students and community members come together and sell fresh vegetables and other homemade goods.

"Beyond buying things and buying fresh produce that's made in our area, it's also a very much community and we very much hangout and talk and just spend time with each other," Ball says.

Not only is the community benefiting, but so are the kids who help maintain the garden. Each student involved attends Dennis Lab School and is actively involved in 4-H.

Ball explains, "Kids that come and work at the garden get the sense of credibility and respect. We've had conversations, about why do you do this? You're not the one who even eats the food. They always say, well it's helpful."

For more updates about the garden, students involved and the farmer's market the WE Grow Decatur Facebook page has more information.