HILLSBOROUGH: Community garden opens at Duke Farms

   Duke Farms held a ceremony to open its first-ever community garden Saturday.
   About 200 gardeners began working their garden plots. Duke Farms gave away more than 5,700 seedlings of heirloom Brandywine tomato, red sweet bell peppers and basil, as well as flower and vegetable seeds from the America the Beautiful Fund.
   Hillsborough Committeeman Frank Delcore, Planning Board Chair Sam Conard, Somerville Mayor Brian Gallagher and former state Agriculture Secretary Art Brown were among officials to attend.
   The garden aims to provide people with the opportunity to grow produce that is healthy for them in a way that is friendly to the environment.
   The two acres of garden plots were awarded via a lottery system to people who live and/or work in Hillsborough, Manville, Somerville or Raritan Borough.
   Garden plots were available in three sizes: 10 by 10 feet, 15 by 15 and 15 by 30. Plot holders pay a small annual fee and commit to volunteering eight hours in a season to help with overall garden maintenance.
   Gardeners also may donate produce to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County on-site. Gardeners are required to care for their plot throughout the season (April through November) and must use organic practices. No chemical fertilizers or pesticides are allowed.
   The garden is on Dukes Parkway West adjacent to the Farm Barn, which that will house the future orientation center for Duke Farms.
   Duke Farms has developed a series of educational programs on organic gardening practices that are open to the public. Upcoming classes include “Container Gardens for Small Space,” “Small Fruit in the Home Garden,” “The ABCs of Composting” and “Color in the Food Garden.”
   For information, visit www.dukefarms.org.