Community garden to host open house

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers ON THE VINE—Gardener Cyndee Zahorik of Thousand Oaks waters her garden plot that's covered with flowers and vegetables. She was at work early Tuesday morning. The Las Flores Community Garden is hosting an open house from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at 1300 Avenida de Las Flores. Las Flores Community Garden is bigger and better, and organizers want area residents to come check it out.

An open house event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sat., Aug. 2.

The garden, located next to Waverly Park, is a nonprofit organization and allows anyone who lives in the Conejo Valley to rent a 200-square-foot plot and grow their own produce all year long. Rent is $45 per year, with a onetime $20 cleanup deposit.

"We are hoping to get people who maybe shop at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods to say, 'I could grow my own vegetables,'" plot manager Steve Roe said. "It's organic and healthier, and, in this economy, it's cheaper."

Late last year, the city of Thousand Oaks doubled the size of Las Flores Community Garden to 1 acre, and nearly half of the 110 20-by-10-foot plots are available to Conejo Valley residents to rent. The garden, started about eight years ago, now has about 65 renters growing their own vegetables.

Thanks to past Eagle Scout projects, the garden has underground irrigation, and the city of Thousand Oaks provides the water.

"You can grow pretty much whatever you want," Roe said. "The only requirement of our gardeners is, on the first Saturday of every month, they do some community service at the garden, basically just general upkeep of the garden."

Roe said they also encourage gardeners to donate to the local food bank.

"You can grow quite a bit of stuff on 200 square feet," he said. "Especially in the summer, there's a large amount of stuff. We give a lot to Manna, and they are very appreciative."

Las Flores Community Garden is at 1300 Avenida de Las Flores in Thousand Oaks.

"People know about the dog park and the equestrian center, then they see us and say, 'Oh, you have a garden here too?'" Roe said. "We just want to let people know we are here."