MANSFIELD — Gardening was more than a hobby in America’s early days — it was a way of life. A group of local historians is working to preserve that heritage in South Park.
Volunteers from the Richland Early American Center for History (REACH) took over the maintenance for an existing community garden last spring.
Since then, they’ve revived the space for educational use, cultivating a garden like the ones early American settlers might have grown in the 18th century.
One end of the space contains a vegetable garden and a plot with the “Three Sisters” — corn, beans and squash.
Native Americans often grew those three plants together because of their naturally symbiotic qualities. Beans add nitrogen to the soil, corn provides a tall trellis for vines and squash covers the ground with its broad leaves, keeping the soil moist and free from weeds.
On the other side, there’s a plot of plants like scarlet zinnias, which were used for dying clothes.
Then there are the herbs, which were grown for both cooking and medicine.
Common boneset was used for setting bones and treating fevers. Calendula was used to treat measles and jaundice and to repel witches.
“We don’t make any claim that they work. That’s just what they did back in the day,” said Maryann Gramo, one of the volunteers.
REACH President Kevin Wappner said the current garden is “unrecognizable” compared to two years ago. The group has built raised beds, erected a fence and planted five different beds.
“It’s relaxing. It’s fun to see what it is now from what it was when we took it over,” said Kim Messersmith, as she drug a hoe through a cabbage plot.
On a recent weeknight, soft golden sunlight filtered through the trees as half a dozen gardeners deadheaded zinnias, weeded vegetable beds and planted onion starts.
Maryann Gramo, a certified master gardener, lead the charge.
“They needed someone to agree to take care of the garden, and I was volunteered,” she said with a laugh. “But I love it. It’s so much fun.”
“Some of these plants would not have been in a garden; they would have been foraged. But for the purposes of education, we put them in the garden.”
Other plants include strawberries, fennel, Swiss chard, Joe Pye Weed and a pair of pawpaw trees — just to name a few.
“I hope next spring to have more interactive (events) where the public can plant some things too,” Gramo said.
The garden is the latest addition to South Park’s historical infrastructure. REACH also maintains a historic cabin, blockhouse and blacksmith forge at the park.
The garden and other REACH structures are open to the public during its free events, including the upcoming American Heritage Days on Oct. 3 and 4.
The event will offer the public a chance to attend demonstrations and meet historical re-enactors.
Community members who want to keep up-to-date with REACH events can follow the organization’s Facebook page.
