The Shared Harvest Community Garden, the oldest of its kind in the Four Corners, located in the Florida River Valley north of Elmore’s Corner, will close this spring after 16 years.
Owner Bob Kauer, 76, and his wife, Jama Crawford, like many farming residents of their generation, have decided to relocate with the goal to retire and find a simpler lifestyle.
They are seeking a steward, ideally another agricultural philanthropist, to take over the 27-acre property, which over the years has been adapted to be a dynamic community garden.
Kauer was inspired to start a local, community-based agriculture site after he visited a church-run garden in Santa Fe.
He returned to Durango on his 60th birthday to purchase a farm with senior water rights. He then plowed a 1-acre horse pasture, installed irrigation across the farm, and began to recruit members from his church and circle of friends around Durango.
“It was a very chaotic first year,” Kauer said. “We didn’t know what we were doing. I was overwhelmed with constant questions.”
Thirty-six households signed up the first year. The garden, at 3232 County Road 234, launched before Kauer took occupancy of the historic farmhouse on the property, which he restored the same year.
“We will greatly miss Shared Harvest and its extraordinary people,” said Crawford. “It has been the center of our community life and a privilege to share this beautiful valley with others.”
The garden wouldn’t have been possible without the help of others.
In May 2002, Kauer recruited Marye Jackson, a recent graduate of the La Plata County Extension Office’s Colorado Master Garden Program, to manage the garden. Jackson was originally required to complete 50 hours of community service to complete a gardener certification. But it was thousands of hours and eight years later before she stepped down from the management role.
“We couldn’t have done this without Marye,” Kauer said.
Master gardener Faye Shrater took the reins after Jackson. Since 2012, the garden was led by Crawford, also a master gardener, and Karen Esser, who was head of the garlic team.
The organic garden accommodated 800 regional residents during its 16 years in operation. It was touted by agricultural researchers for its efficiency and food production. Members worked cooperatively, in teams, including a tomato and winter squash team, and everyone was allowed to harvest across the entire garden.
“It would be a total miracle if someone bought the property to use it for a local food movement,” Crawford said. “It’s a gardening space where the soil is organic and very healthy for food production. We hope to find a grower who wants the land to keep harvesting and contributing to the local food market.”
A party for former members will be held at 3 p.m. May 6 at the property to commemorate the milestones that were reached during its 16 years of operation.
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