Orléans - The dream sequence is as follows: I am an organic farmer in a large garden. In one way or another, all vegetables can sing and dance. Chipmunks thrive on cornfires. Suddenly, thousands of butterflies lifted me into the air and placed me on a large, soft plate of meat and tomatoes.
My sleep coach, Dr. Snozley, says the meaning is clear: I need a bigger garden. But acquiring more and better land on Cape Cod seems like a pipe dream.
At least that's what I thought until I read about a wonderful green opportunity on the City of Orleans website. Here's the fun part: "The City of Orleans is growing agriculture at Putnam Farm and you can be a part of it!" »
The city-owned Putnam Ranch is still one of my favorite natural places for a quick stop in Cape Town. The 14-acre property sits behind the Orleans County Courthouse, with a dirt road leading to the Rock Harbor Road parking lot. There are already a dozen plots in the garden and it's always good to see what the professional gardeners are doing.
The city now organizes a garden party. Eight more large courts (50 feet by 70 feet) are expected to be available in spring 2024. I'm not a math major, but each court would be 3,500 square feet. That's the size of the state of Rhode Island! Wait, the fact-checkers will tell me this assumption is wrong, but for a gardener on Cape Cod, that's a lot of country.
The contest is now open to all Massachusetts residents. But there is a $500 annual site fee, this registration can make a big difference for error-prone gardeners like me. I hate paying $500 for a crop of carrots, two bee stings and a few weeds.
What can you do with such a large plot of land? In search of agricultural answers, I spoke to CL Fornari, perhaps the best gardener in Cape Town. She was intrigued by the size of Putnam's plots, which are 20 feet by 20 feet larger than those found in many community gardens.
“If you have or want a freezer, you can grow food that will last all winter on that amount of land,” Fornari said. I also thought it would be a great place for a cut flower farm or for people to grow things to donate to local soup kitchens or food pantries.
The lazy person in me told CL that I was worried about the dirty person who would have trouble going to a yard that wasn't in my yard.
“The downside is you have to take a car to go to dinner,” he says.
But he suggests planting things that require frequent maintenance (beans, tomatoes) in indoor garden beds and a community plot for things that fit into the "crockpot" format, i.e. things that don't do not require frequent maintenance. Like squash, pumpkins and melons.
A nourishing sense of community can emerge from these gardens, CL said. People share plants, pipes, advice and positive vibes. “You have a big open space with lots of sunlight,” he says, which is the coolest thing about Putnam’s plan.
Those interested in entering the Putnam Farm contest can do so by calling the Orleans Department of Conservation at 508-240-3700 x2425 or stopping by City Hall at 19 School Road in Orleans. Although there does not appear to be a deadline to enter the lottery, "those who are interested in participating should do so now," according to a city press release.
So I have a lot to think about. Should I relax in my garden or have a good time in Orléans? It's nice and warm to think of Jack Frost looming on the horizon.
When he's not solving strange Cape Cod mysteries, Eric Williams writes about ways to enjoy Cape Cod, the weather, wildlife, and other topics. Contact him at ewilliams@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X: @capecast.
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This article originally appeared in the Cape Cod Times: Gardening on Cape Cod: Community Plot Ideas, From Flowers to Watermelons
