ELK POINT – The significant drop in temperature earlier in the month did very little to cool the enthusiasm for the upcoming growing season at back-to-back meetings of the Elk Point Community Garden group and Elk Point Economic Development Committee on April 17.
Sue Campbell told the Community Garden group that only one of the raised beds has been booked to date, with the remaining beds still available for this year’s garden enthusiasts to reserve by contacting her at 780-645-9626. The beds will be assigned on a first come, first served basis for the season starting May 1, with a top dressing of compost hopefully in place by that time.
Catherine with Lakeland Seed Swap will be at the Further Education Building, 5202 - 51 St., Elk Point on May 26, starting at 2 p.m. The group will also be having a plant exchange that day, with perennials, houseplants and excess bedding plants welcome. Plants must be healthy and in suitable containers, labelled with the plant name and variety if possible. Campbell is inviting everyone to “come learn what seed swapping is all about. All are welcome.”
The group has set their next meeting for May 15.
The Economic Development Committee met later that evening, and learned that chair Terri Hampson has ordered seven flats of orange marigolds, which will be distributed to local businesses along with information on this year’s Communities in Bloom (CiB), when Elk Point moves into the competition category.
Work is underway on the community profile that will go to CiB judges, with Town Coun. Tim Smereka tasked to write a welcome message to go in that document. At the EDC’s March meeting, Marvin Bjornstad was delegated to tackle the heritage conservation aspect, Sue Campbell the landscape aspect and Town Manager of Operations Jay Duffee the urban forestry aspect of the preparations for the judges’ visit.
The EDC members agreed that a repeat of last year’s judging day itinerary would work well, and Hampson will check on the availability of horse-drawn wagons for the judges’ tour of the town on judging day, when Elk Point should be decked out in orange blooms and looking its best to wow this year’s CiB judging team.