LARNED — The community garden on the west side of the Larned community literally continues to grow.

Last Tuesday’s intermittent rain showers didn’t dampen the spirits of those attending the After Hours event hosted by the Larned Area Chamber of Commerce, as the community’s Civic PRIDE organization cut the ribbon on the garden’s produce stand building. 

The building project was accomplished through the efforts of Larned High School industrial arts instructor Adam Hewson’s building trades class, through grants for materials obtained by the Civic PRIDE group.

Completion of the building was celebrated with free hotdogs, sausages, chips, sheet cake and watermelon for those attending. 

Growing PRIDE in Larned

The Civic PRIDE organization came together in 2009. Members then partnered with K-State Research and Extension with the community garden as their initial project and a mission to improve existing features or add new ventures in the Larned community.

The group then expanded in 2014, merging with the Larned Kiwanis Club.

Their first project began with a grant. The group started by planting 20 trees in a fruit tree orchard, with space to grow vegetables on land originally owned by the Larned Assembly of God Church that was obtained by the City of Larned. Additional grants were obtained through the local resources for equipment and other amenities such as irrigation pipe and signage.

Fort Hays State University students have also contributed labor for college credit to get the garden going. 

In 2016, retired associate professor of agriculture Jean Gliechner brought the college’s horticulture class to Larned to plant tomatoes, potatoes and flowers, as well as paint display stands and prune apple and cherry trees along with blueberry bushes and grapevines. 

They also traveled south to Larned’s Schnack Park, where they turned their attention to the John Schnack Express train, which is another ongoing Civic PRIDE venture.

Getting the new market stand is the PRIDE organization’s way of keeping residents engaged in their community.

Jenny Manry, who has written and received several grants for the organization, noted that the growing process continues into next year, targeting an upgrade to a footbridge on the grounds to make it useable for larger equipment. 

Meanwhile, plans are in the works in the fall for Hewson’s class to begin construction of an on-site greenhouse allowing the production of bedding plants for the garden.