Killeen Municipal Court Community Garden Project
3601 South W.S. Young Drive, behind the Civic and Conference Center
The Bell County Master Gardeners Association received an award December 1, 2023 from the City of Killeen Municipal Court for 15 years of service. This award was for all of the volunteer efforts contributing to the success of the Killeen Municipal Court Community Garden.
Featured in the news…
“Another Harvest Season at the Community Garden” in the Killeen Daily Herald (8/14/23)
We also continued our weekly garden blog – see it here.
The Killeen Municipal Court Community Garden is a community garden maintained by the Bell County Master Gardeners in conjunction with the City of Killeen that provides hands-on educational experience and produces vegetables and fruit year round.
In 2008, Municipal Court Judge Barbara Weaver was looking for inspirational ways for students to work off court fines through community service and she approached the Bell County Master Gardeners with an idea that involved building and maintaining a community garden. Concept became reality and today Bell County Master Gardeners and students assigned to the garden by the court keep the garden planted, watered and effectively producing vegetables all summer. On Saturdays, throughout the year, students (ages 10 to 17) guided by Master Gardeners, learn how to care for and tend this community vegetable garden.
In addition to vegetables, the garden grounds include fruit, nut and shade trees. A variety of ornamental beds showcase seasonal displays of color and a Monarch way station was added in 2022. Fresh produce is harvested and donated weekly to area soup kitchens, community crisis shelters and senior citizens centers in Killeen, Texas, with over 5,225 pounds of produce donated in 2022.
During 2022, a total of 527 master gardeners participated on Saturday workdays, 220 youth completed their community service hours, and 21 friends of the master gardeners supported this important association program.
Highlighted in the Killeen Daily Herold, October 2022 and by the City of Killeen on YouTube
For more information contact Master Gardener Monique A
BCMGA Mission Statement
The Bell County Master Gardeners Association assists the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in providing high quality, relevant, research-based horticultural education and service to the residents of Bell County and the state of Texas through outreach, teaching, and demonstration projects.