Glenbow Archives: NA-1753-2
Title: Bridges over Elbow River at Fort Calgary, Alberta.
Date: 1899
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THE COMMUNITY VEGETABLE GARDEN
Sponsored by Suncor Energy Foundation
History
The Vegetable Garden Today
Historic Garden
The community garden at Fort Calgary represents the original vegetable garden that the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) had on site from 1883 to 1914. The garden was located beside 9th Avenue, near the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. The troop garden was maintained by a constable, various mounties, and prisoners in order to provided much-needed produce. In good years, it produced an abundant and varied amount of fruits and vegetables. The post and rail style of fence at the garden today is similar to what would have been used by the NWMP.
We continue to use only hand tools to cultivate, have on display a functioning historic windmill, plant historic heirloom vegetables, grow produce that is greatly needed, grow heirloom and practice planting crops in straight rows! Story of the Patton Windmill
The 1910 Dempster windmill located at the garden today is 101 years old. It was originally located at Pump Hill near the Glenmore Reservoir. In its day, the windmill pumped water for the Patton family's Fairview Market Garden. The Pattons grew vegetables for market on this site for 40 years and about ten years ago the windmill was generously donated to Fort Calgary by the family.
The garden at Fort Calgary tells the story of early market gardening in Calgary by continuing to grow varities that would have been grown circa 1910. Varieties like "Canadian Wonder" beans, "Hollow Crown" parsnips, "Early Scarlet Horn" and "Oxheart" carrots, "Crosby Egyptian" beets, "Paris Golden" celery, "Tom Thumb" lettuce, "Ailsa Craig" onions, and "Early Jersey Wakefield" cabbages.
Download the planting schedule (PDF)
Download a list of fruit and vegetable varieties planted (PDF)
Sponsors
In 2001 the garden project was awarded to Fort Calgary by Suncor Energy Foundation and Evergreen Common Grounds. Since the first groundbreaking it has been funded primarily by Suncor Energy Foundation. We are grateful to Suncor Energy Foundation for their ongoing support of Fort Calgary's community garden.
Goals
The garden at Fort Calgary today fulfills a number of the goals and objectives of the original project proposal. The project remains a narrative of both the NWMP troop garden and early market gardens of Calgary, provides employment opportunities to community members at risk, serves as a display garden for Calgarians, gives volunteer opportunities to community members at large, and grows and distributes produce to charities in downtown Calgary.
Ecological Gardening Techniques
We practice ecological gardening techniques, including: composting all garden refuse (this year we continue to use vegetable refuse from kitchens at both Fort Calgary Barracks and The Deane House to make compost), mulching with locally and biodynamically grown wheat straw, feeding the soil with slow release fertilizers, growing plants that attract pollinators, practicing crop rotation, and collecting our own seed. We do not use synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or fungicides on site.
Donations
Our donations of good quality produce to charitable organizations in downtown Calgary is very important. This year we provided fresh produce to The Alexandra Community Health Centre's Spinz-Around Program, The Women's Centre in Bridgeland, The Native Network, The Building Futures Program at the Old Y, as well as the Meow Foundation. Over the years, Fort Calgary's community garden has donated thousands of pounds of nutritious vegetables to people in Calgary.
A variety of harvested vegetables, ready for donation.
Volunteers
The volunteers that work in the garden are extremely important. Everything, from soil preparation and planting in the spring to harvesting and watering in the summer is done by hand. We welcome volunteers and anyone who is interested in historic gardening to please contact Fort Calgary's Volunteer Resource Coordinator at 403-290-1875 ext. 229.
In addition to providing volunteer and hands on experience, the garden is tended by people with barriers to employment or for those trying to reintegrate themselves back into the workforce.
Join our team of dedicated community garden volunteers.
Contact & Hours
The garden is open to the general public from Monday to Friday, from about 9am till 4pm, with the season running from mid April to mid October. Please contact us first to ensure it is open. For any additional information about the community garden at Fort Calgary please contact our Community Garden Coordinator at 403-290-1875 ext. 235.
Hours: Monday to Friday, generally 9am till 4pm
Location: Fort Calgary (750 - 9th Avenue SE)
Admission to garden: Free
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