The next step was organizing a communit y garden for this same environmental group. I found some land and convinced the town to cut down all the weeds and fence it in. A local farmer delivered two truckloads of well-rotted manure, and, after the ground was all fertilized and plowed up, we laid out plots and aisles and opened for business. All of the spaces were quickly taken by people in the community , and everyone started with great enthusiasm. Since most of the participants didn't have a garden at hom e and were novices, they were enthusiastic about obtaining instruction and insights on gardening. So I initiated a Saturday morning gardening workshop and presented information on a different subject each wee k while everyone sat around on bales of hay listening. I was teaching basic single-row gardening because that's all anyone knew back then. I was busy studying and learning gardening myself, trying to keep ahead of everyone's questions! Th e local count y agricultural agent helped out and everything went well until about midsummer . It was about then that our once-enthusiastic gardeners stopped coming out to the garden. However , the weeds kept coming—an d growing! Pretty soon the place was overgrown and looked a mess.