Some Saturdays you plant trees. Some Saturdays you wield a grinder for the very first time. Today I got to do both, and honestly, I’m not sure which one left me grinning harder.

Starting the Morning in Fraser

Before I ever set foot in the Eastpointe Community Garden today, I was over in Fraser with a shovel in hand. I got to volunteer on behalf of Urban Seed alongside the Fraser First Booster Club, helping with a big community effort to plant 40 new trees around the city. I helped get six of them into the ground before I headed out – and let me tell you, there’s something deeply satisfying about tamping down that last bit of soil around a tree you know is going to outlive you.

It was a good morning for it – the kind of work that reminds you how much a single tree does for a neighborhood. (Fun fact from the event materials: one young, healthy tree puts out roughly the net cooling of ten room-sized air conditioners running 20 hours a day. Not bad for something you stick in a hole.)

I also got to spend some time with a few familiar faces and meet some new ones: Mayor Mike Lesich of Fraser, who sits on the Urban Seed board, City Council member Patrick O’Dell, and Dana Freers of Freers Law. I also got to meet Council member Crystal Fletcher. Days like this are a good reminder that the garden isn’t just rows of veggies – it’s a whole web of people who keep showing up for their community.

Over to Eastpointe: Spigots, Grinders, and a Generous Donation

I rolled into ECG right as Molly arrived, and the two of us got to talking about the new U-Pick garden going in up front, plus some of the pollinator bed plans she has. There’s a lot of good stuff on the horizon and it’s hard not to get excited mapping it all out loud.

Then Jeff showed up, and we got down to the day’s big project: swapping out the old water spigot lock box in the Giving Garden for a brand-new upgraded one.

Ironically, that new box was fabricated and donated by Adam Cole at Midnight Metal Craft in Fraser, MI. (I never really thought about how integrated we are with Fraser until writing this post.) He built it out of diamond-plate steel, with a hinged door that’s lockable – it might not be winning any beautician awards but the thing is built like a tank. We are endlessly grateful when local makers put their skills to work for the garden, and this is a perfect example of exactly that.

Now, full confession: I had never used a cut-off tool before today. Jeff showed me the ropes, and I got some genuine hands-on learning. We cut the old box off the spigot, used cardboard to map out the bolt pattern, cut out our access opening, fit everything into place, bolted it down, and gave it a test. Good as new – actually, better than new.

Once the last few pieces for the watering system arrive over the next week, we’ll be able to lock it all in (pun absolutely intended), and the auto-watering system should be up and running. Future us is going to be very grateful for present us.

Drop-Ins, Tomatoes, and a First-Time Family

While Jeff and I were elbow-deep in the project, we had a steady stream of folks swing by – which is honestly the best kind of interruption.

Tomato Bill stopped in, and he is fired up for the new U-Pick beds. He’s been growing tomatoes and peppers for us, and the plan is for him to come plant them the moment those beds are ready. If we get a few more volunteers we can have the new beds built and ready to go in 2 weeks.

We also had a family visit for their very first time. I gave them a little mini-tour, and they mentioned they’ve got a teenager at home looking for something to sink his time into. I’d say there’s a decent chance we see them again – and we’d love to have them.

A quick note on the Giving Garden: Bill and Jen had something come up this morning and couldn’t make it, but they’ll be by tomorrow to check in on things.

The Garden Doesn’t Wait for Saturday

Here’s what I love about this place – the real magic happens all week long, not just when the weekend crew rolls in.

Earlier in the week, Bill was over at the Giving Garden getting it all strawed up for water retention, which is a smart move with summer bearing down on us. He sorted out a hiccup with the watering system, cleared out some compost bins that had gotten a little overzealously stuffed with cut-down bushes, and started leveling off the front where the new U-Pick beds are headed – including the ground around Mr. Mellon Man, our eight-foot metal sculpture standing guard across from the parking lot. Good news on the leveling: the tilling made a real difference. When I asked Bill if it helped, his exact words were “Hell yeah it did.” Hard to argue with that.

Kat also gave us a midweek status check on the sponsor beds – everything’s planted and watered, with one notable exception. Carrot Bill’s bed is still waiting. (For the uninitiated: Carrot Bill is a cardboard cutout of our very own President Bill, holding down a sponsor bed like the legend he is. His bed remains gloriously empty for now.)

Then on Thursday, Becky showed up and absolutely went to town. She watered the Giving Garden, all the bushes, the berries, the trees, the fairy garden, and the sponsor beds – the full circuit. The Giving Garden and the back half of the lot also got mowed all the way up to the bee hives, courtesy of her husband Joe. Many hands make light work, and this week we had a bunch of good ones.

Want to Join Us?

The Eastpointe Community Garden meets Saturdays, 10 AM to 2 PM at 16425 Nine Mile Road. No experience needed – the soil doesn’t judge, and neither do we. Whether you want to swing a grinder, plant a tomato, or just read a book in the shade, there’s a spot for you.

Come hang with us. We’ll handle the tools.