Tribute to Marylin Ash Mower

COVER STORY

TRIBUTE TO

MARYLIN ASH MOWER

Retiring Harmony Garden Coordinator

BY NETTIE R. BARTEL

Marylin Ash Mower and husband, Dick, moved to Harmony in 2010. Dick wanted to have a vegetable garden and with the support of Greg Golgowski, of the Harmony Institute, a site was identified, and Dick became the first gardener at the newly created Harmony Community Garden. Soon after the first organizational meeting, chaired by Greg, Marylin became the garden coordinator, a position she has held for the better part of ten years.

It quickly became obvious that improvements were needed to make the garden an amenity that would help Harmony residents learn the joy of growing their own vegetables. Compost was added; the developer financed the building of raised beds, individual water faucets, a gazebo with a picnic table, and a fence to keep out wildlife. Harmony High School technology students built a shed for tools. Gardeners now have access to garden tools and sprayers as well as information about gardening practices. Organic garden practices are encouraged and widely used. This year an orchard with a variety of fruit trees was created.

Under the leadership of Marylin, our garden has become well known locally, and beyond. Celebration, St. Cloud Community Garden, Twin Lakes, Boston City Community Garden and many other communities have visited our garden to get ideas on how to create a garden in their own community. Throughout the years, the Florida University Extension Service has offered classes on best practices of gardening. This fall, a mentoring program for new gardeners and educational classes will start. Realtors tell us that our Community Garden has become an amenity that attracts interest from potential buyers of Harmony properties.

It goes without saying that we all benefit from the Harmony Community Garden. Currently we have over 22 families on a waiting list for the currently occupied 47 garden lots. After 10 years of unselfish and competent attention, work, and care, Marylin is retiring from the coordinator position. This will give her time to attend to some of her other interests and talents: beading, knitting, canasta, bookclub, and kayaking, to name a few. This community owes her a tremendous debt of recognition and thanks. It is not an overstatement to say that without Marylin and her late husband Dick, there would be no community garden in Harmony. Thank you, Marylin, for your gift of leadership in founding and developing the Harmony Community Garden! n

KRISTIN MACARI

2 Harmony Life Magazine | October 2020