Community gardener devastated by flood

I started sharing a garden with a friend in 2016 and, by 2020, I was on my own as I learned a lot about planting from my friend. I got into gardening for many reasons; it was good therapy and I enjoyed having fresh vegetables in the late summer and early fall. I also enjoyed meeting new people and getting gardening tips from other gardeners.

I was looking forward to planting this year long before the growing season. All I could think about was starting my garden, tilling the ground, planting seeds and plants, and harvesting my vegetables.

Then we got hit by the flood, which destroyed all the hard work and investment I had put into the garden. No one is sure whether we will be able to have a garden next year as there are many toxins in the soil due to contamination from flood waters.

There were many other people who have been affected by the floods, whether they were homeowners, people renting apartments, people who lost their businesses, farmers who lost their crops and the people whose gardens at Oxbow or in their backyards were destroyed.

After the garden was destroyed by the flood, I felt devastated.

Lori Jones

Morrisville