It was a quiet, cool morning and Janet Little looked relaxed. Springfield Public Schools had just finished classes for the year. Little, who is the administrative assistant to the principal at Reed Academy, walked across the street to chat with friend Demita Gookin.
They stood on a plot of land on West Atlantic Street owned by SPS. It was established as a fruit garden last year with five trees acquired through City Utilities. Little recently learned that the area will be named the Little Fruit Garden in honor of her 25 years of service at Reed.
“At first I thought it was a joke,” said Little, “because a lot of people joke about my name.” Gookin, who is leading the effort to develop the fruit garden, caught Little in the hallway one day to tell her the news. Once Little realized it was real, she felt excited, honored and humbled.
“Well, you’ve been the glue for 25 years at this facility,” said Gookin.
Gookin is a community volunteer who first met Little when her son attended Reed. She said Little was always there to help with whatever task was at hand, like setting up for PTA meetings. Since then they have become friends and even took diving lessons together at Table Rock Lake. Gookin is planning a formal dedication of the garden.
The new name is just the beginning of big plans for the Little Fruit Garden.
Gookin wants the garden to reflect the rich history of Woodland Heights with Victorian-era landscaping and walking paths.
And since it lies within Moon City Creative District, Gookin also wants Reed students to contribute art, such as stepping stones. When they go to high school they can come back and say “I did that!”
Many of the projects will showcase the power of repurposing. Gookin saved headboards from the dumpster at a neighborhood clean-up. They will become benches. She wants to build a circular garden out of wine bottles that will resemble a conch shell. Gookin thinks this will be a good spot for watermelon and cantaloupe. Grapes will be added to the harvest when a pergola can be built.
The plants and trees in the garden can flourish in the rocky Missouri soil. Gookin likes to include unusual fruits in the mix like rhubarb. In addition to apple, cherry, plum and peach trees, the garden is currently growing blueberries, strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries and blackberries.
Unfortunately the berries are attractive to thieves who have dug up 20 plants. Because it takes three years for plants to really start producing fruit, the theft has set the garden back at least a year. An ornamental fence will be installed to protect and beautify the garden.
Although it will be fenced, the garden will welcome all children who want to be able to identify plants, watch them grow and eat what’s ripe. More than just a place to learn about plants, Gookin wants the garden to provide an outdoor classroom where students can journal and read. “I think when kids sit in nature they get inspired,” said Gookin. “There will be pretty things to look at.”
The garden is a partnership between SPS, Springfield Community Gardens and Woodland Heights Neighborhood. In 2016, Rotary Club of Springfield North awarded a $2,000 grant to the garden. Since then the club has donated many volunteer hours to build vegetable boxes, an arbor and a water line. They also trimmed overgrown brush and removed bushes to make way for blueberries.
It’s a humble little garden right now, but it’s ready for growth.
Habitat for Humanity of Springfield is partnering with Woodland Heights to improve quality of life for residents. If you want to get involved with the garden or any of the neighborhood revitalization projects, contact Melissa Adler at 417-829-4001, ext. 116 or melissa@habitatspringfieldmo.org.