Drama? Community garden? They go together like horse apples and flies. Captcha, we had a community garden for one summer here in my small town. The city provided a plowed field at the edge of town, seeds, utensils, water (always a crippling expense here in the GReat American Desert) fertilizer, fencing. It cost 25$ for a very decent sized plot and after the first 25 a gardener could take on another plot or two for no fee. There was a request to grow only annual plants but other than that no restrictions. I checked that out because I wanted flowers. You should have seen my plot: Cleome, zinnias, cosmos, pole beans, peas, Brussels sprouts, tall sunflowers.
You would think it would be a great idea in a town of 1,000 mostly retired. lower income people right? But NOOO. It was drama from the first town council meeting. Many people, being red state conservatives, were upset about the GOVERNMENT taking over gardens.
The 25$ fee brought on a boycott led by this nasty old bat who lived across the street and deputized herself to be the Garden Police. She didn't have a plot but sped around in a motorized wheel chair turning in complaints to the city council. She tried to tell me that I could not plant flowers, that the GOVERNMENT said the plots were for low income people to grow FOOD, not rich ladies like me --I am a widowed high school teacher!
I, of course, laughed and told her to putt putt to hell. I did not flip her the bird. Others did. By that autumn all the infighting and squabbling scrapped the whole project. When I cool down I plan to write a Eudora Welty style short story about the experience--s6