Kickstarting the Community Garden: Toby’s Story

“The Community Vegetable Gardener role really appealed to me. I’m interested in entomology and I’ve also got green fingers. Gardening is my other hobby and I’m particularly interested in growing chili peppers, particularly the extremely hot Carolina Reaper and an obscure rarity from the Galápagos Islands. Unfortunately, I like spicy food more than it likes me. I’m good at growing these peppers but I’m never sure what to do with them!

“I’ve been doing my new job for about three weeks. I work around the village and across the whole estate. So far, we’ve got two plots ready to go and we’re aiming for 20. We intend to grow potatoes, herbs, fruit trees and much more. The community is fully involved and will bring their own ideas for what we should plant. I’m coordinating our group of volunteers and they’re all hard-working and ready to dig in.

“There’s a lot to learn but the benefit of having a range of volunteers is that you can generally find someone with a bit of specialist knowledge. Some of our volunteers have got fencing skills, while one with a background in design will make our sign. It makes the project self-sufficient. We’ve also got lawn-mowing sorted and I’ve made a herb planter.

“Swaby is a five-minute drive or a 45-minute walk away from the estate. I generally prefer to walk, especially when the sun’s out. I’m enjoying the job and it will be a great way to spend the summer. I consider myself fortunate to have a job right now, particularly when so many skilled and experienced people are looking for work.

“It’s early days yet, but I’d recommend working on the estate. Jobcentre Plus initially told me about the job and I didn’t expect to get it. It was my first proper job interview and I expected the third degree. It turned out to be quite relaxed and laid-back and I got the chance to be myself.”

* Banner image courtesy of Erich Ferdinand via Flickr CC