By Leslie Wustrack
Special to The PREVIEW
The Pagosa Springs Community Garden will host Ron Chacey, renowned gardener and tree farmer, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, at the downtown River Pointe Coffee House meeting room, 445 San Juan St.
Chacey, a well-known regional expert, will give a short introduction to the area’s growing season and then open the meeting to questions from the audience.
A lifelong organic gardener and Pagosa Springs resident for over 20 years, Chacey will offer sage advice on a variety of topics. He believes that almost any vegetable can be grown in this interesting growing environment if the proper methods are employed.
Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions on all topics, from soil, microbes, amendments, water, raised beds, row covers, greenhouses, microclimates and more, to warm- and cool-season vegetables and the best types of produce and trees to grow.
Chacey is known for his experimental gardening and his can-do nature. His annual sought-after “Gardening Notes” that outline the challenges, potentials, and processes of growing food in the Pagosa area will be available free for all attendees.
Chacey was one of the original founders of the Pagosa Springs Community Garden, which is located at the end of 5th Street on the San Juan River downtown. Chacey and other volunteer gardeners turned a small patch of land into a vegetable and flower garden. The almost-decade-old gardening space holds historical value for residents and tourists alike.
The garden was revitalized in 2017 with generous donations from Pagosa Springs businesses and the work of a group of dedicated volunteers now known as the Pagosa Springs Community Gardeners.
In 2011, Ron and his wife, Windsor Chacey, received the Colorado Tree Farmer of the Year Award from the Colorado State Forest Service.
Free and open to the public, attendees are encouraged to arrive by 12:45 p.m. The Q-and-A will begin promptly at 1 p.m.
For more information, please email pagosaspringscommunitygarden@gmail.com or visit facebook.com/pagosaspringscommunitygarden.
