The next time you visit Baton Roots Community Farm at BREC's Howell Park, visitors will see the newly installed pollinator garden and upcycled signage.
The pollinator garden was installed with the assistance of many volunteers and collaborators, truly embodying the spirit that many hands make light work.
First, Walls Project Public Art Coordinator Morgan Udoh and Artist Sky Eerie worked with a group of volunteers at April's Sow Good Saturday event to build out the letters spelling "Baton Roots" out of upcycled materials.
Two weeks later, Earth Day volunteers assisted Baton Roots staff in preparing the land for a garden, which involved spreading a layer of cardboard over the grass and then covering the area with 2-3 inches of woodchips.
After another two weeks, volunteers at May's Sow Good Saturday planted pollinators and native grasses into the garden. Plants and garden design were donated by the Louisiana Wild Society and Sweet Fern Landscapes.
The new pollinator garden is located next to the Harmony Garden raised beds, which are used for garden demonstrations and workshops, as well as growing easily accessible seasonal crops for neighbors to harvest.
The Baton Roots Farm Team hopes that we can continue expanding pollinator and native plant gardens throughout the farm to support a lush and vibrant habitat for local wildlife and sustainable crop production.
This reclaimed metal sculpture was made possible through a grant with Keep Louisiana Beautiful.