Residents who join the Community Garden in Central Park can enjoy fresh vegetables, time outdoors, and the chance to make new friends.

“It's healthy for the mind. It's healthy for the soul,” said Broken Arrow resident Terri Jetter.  You know, it's healthy for the body. It’s just healthy.”

The Community Garden at Central Park sits in a fenced 100-by-100-foot area in the northwest corner of Central Park at 1500 S. Main St. Since opening in 2021, it has doubled from 20 to 40 container plots, managed by the Broken Arrow Parks Department. Each six-by-3.5-foot plot is free to use, and water is provided.

Chris Ohler, the City of Broken Arrow’s horticulturist, says gardeners only need to pay for their own plants or seeds. There are no other program costs.

“You do have to provide your own supplies out here, bring your own shovels, rakes, whatever you need for gardening,” Ohler said. “Also, your water hoses, we have six spigots available out here to use for watering.”

Jetter moved to Broken Arrow from Ohio last fall. When she saw a sign at the garden gate, she called the Parks Department to learn how to get involved.

She says the community garden is a great way for newcomers to get rooted in Broken Arrow and meet others. This spring, she even found a job as a bus driver for Broken Arrow Public Schools, thanks to a friend she met at the garden.

“There are people who are lonely, you know,” Jetter said. “But when you come out here, someone is going to show up. You’re going to have someone to talk to, and you can make good friends.”

She encourages people not to procrastinate, but to get outside and become a part of the community.

“It’s a community garden, a big space, a lot of people, and everybody gets along,” Jetter said. “I think it is amazing!”

Jetter has been an avid gardener for years, but it became more difficult to continue her passion once she moved into an apartment. But having the Community Garden nearby lets her continue doing what she loves.

“This is amazing because people who can’t grow a big garden in their apartment spaces, other than putting it on the patio, have an actual garden here,” Jetter said. “I think it is great for seniors, too, because some of them can’t do a big garden anymore, but they can do a raised bed.”

Jetter tends two of the six-by-3.5-foot container gardens, where she grows winter wheat, garlic, onions, sunflowers, marigolds, rosemary, and basil.

Ohler, who has been involved with the Community Garden since it began, adds that it isn’t too late to sign up for a garden plot this year and grow your own food.

“Typically, you’re going to have two different planting time frames,” Ohler said. “One of them is in the February and March range, that’s for your cool seeds and vegetables, like potatoes, carrots, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, things like that. And then you get into your warmer season, which is going to be your corn, peppers, things that will freeze, those will typically be planted after the third week in April, and that’s just a general rule of thumb.”

He points out that with a bit of effort, Broken Arrow residents can grow fresh food at a low cost.

“I mean, you’ve got them right on hand, you know they aren’t treated with chemicals,” Ohler said. “You can come in, and they’re fresh. You’ve nurtured them. You’ve grown them, that’s the benefit to me, because you’re keeping chemicals out of the picture.”

For more information and to reserve a raised container garden, call the City of Broken Arrow Parks and Recreation Department at 918-259-7000.