Community garden sprouts food, friendship

MIDDLEBORO — Some might theorize that the Pythagorean theory has no relevance to life beyond 11^th grade algebra.

Darren Vasa, land manager for the Town of Middleboro, would beg to differ.

He used pieces of string and the theory— the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the two sides— to carefully plot out garden beds at the community garden at Picone Farm on 415 Plymouth St.

He wanted to ensure that the plots were spaced equally while allowing space for visitors to walk. And a surveyor who checked the plots with more sophisticated tools found the work was accurate.

“Who says it’s useless?’’ Vasa said of the theory, with a laugh.

The plots he carefully spaced apart are now beginning to take root. Potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons and pumpkins are among the produce growing at the site he carefully prepared.

The community garden is a new addition to Picone Farm, which was purchased by the town for $2.5 million at the fall 2022 Town Meeting. The purchase prevented the use of the land by developers and opened up about 95 acres of the site for public use, including the creation of a community garden.

Part of the agreement required the farm to provide support for food insecurity, explained Conservation Agent Patricia Cassady.

The garden, which began in the spring, allows residents to grow their own food in a plot they lease out and maintain. They are responsible for watering and upkeep of the site, where they can plant vegetables or flowers.

Water is available on site.

These plots, which are available in several sizes, are particularly popular with people who live in apartments or other situations where no land is available for gardening, Cassady said.

But plants and flowers aren’t the only things growing in these gardens.

The process also reaps a sense of community, Vasa said.

“People talk to each other while they’re here,’’ exchanging tips and sharing advice about gardening, Vasa noted. A group messaging chat allows gardeners to interact.

Gardeners are also encouraged to donate extra produce to area food pantries, Cassady noted, to help fight food insecurity.

The garden has 63 plots available, with 24 filled so far, Vasa said. Clean-up began in March and the season can run through November, depending on weather and what is being harvested.

He suspects they will begin offering plots for next year soon.

Having this program is “rewarding,’’ Cassady said.

She encourages people to bring children along to learn about gardening. They can develop an “understanding of where food comes from,’’ she said.

And Vasa would no doubt be happy to share some insight into the Pythagorean theory as well.

For more information about the garden, e-mail dvasa@middleboroughma.gov.