Brokens helps bring raised garden to Pennington

     Ed Brokens enjoys staying active, getting outside and tinkering in a garden. You might see him riding his bike around Monticello, enjoying the stops around town.

     As a resident at Pennington Square Assisted Living Center, Brokens felt they needed a large garden to properly grow fresh produce and fruits. So, he took the project into his own hands.

     “At 97 years old, the secret to life is to keep busy,” shared Brokens.

     About a month ago, Brokens headed to Spahn & Rose Lumber Company to see about getting a 20-foot long, 3-foot wide feeder bunk. The idea was to place the raised garden bed behind Pennginton and transplant the tomatoes that Brokens said aren’t getting enough soil and water in their current state.

     “They need at least 10-11 inches of soil,” he said.

     He said Spahn & Rose gave him a discount of the garden bed, knowing it was going to Pennington Square.

     “Spahn & Rose built it, and the maintenance crew here painted it white to match the gazebo,” said Brokens.

     Brokens then went to Theisen’s to purchase 50 bags of topsoil, where he also received a discounted price.

     Having used money out of his own pocket for the raised garden project, Brokens then started seeking donations from his Pennington neighbors to help offset the cost. His goal was $400, and as of last week, Brokens was just short by $15.

     Brokens said one evening he was sitting in the dining room with Bob Burlage and Burlage’s family. The visitors asked what Brokens enjoys doing to keep busy and he said he likes to garden.

     “That’s when I got the idea for a feeder bunk,” he said.

     Brokens said the containers where the tomatoes grow now only provide 4-5 inches of soil. “They’re not deep enough and you have to water them every day,” he said. “They don’t hold moisture.”

     After sharing his idea with Burlage’s family, they donated $20 toward the project.

     “I figured if someone who doesn’t even live here would donate toward the cause, I’d better do it,” Brokens said of making the raised garden project a reality.

     He then went door-to-door asking the Pennington residents, and many simply donated without thinking twice.

     “It was that easy,” said Brokens. “Most of the residents thought it was a good idea.”

     The garden to tended to by the residents.

     “It gives us something to do” Brokens said. He shared that Bob Burlage enjoys coming out to work up the soil.

     Brokens said the raised feeder is tall enough for the residents to sit in their wheelchairs to garden or stand against if they need to.

     He said the plan is to start planting radishes, onions and beans yet this season. Once the produce is ready and ripe, it’s free for the residents’ taking and it’s used in meal prep. With the tomatoes that have already been growing, Brokens said they enjoyed delicious, fresh BLTs earlier last week.

     The raised bed is also close enough to the garden hose that it doesn’t have to unrolled and dragged across the lawn.

     “That was a headache,” said Brokens.

     He said the radishes should be ready in a few weeks.

     “They grow fast, and it’s nice to have fresh food to eat.”