Dreams of plants

The idea came from a dream.

Joanne Rasmussen saw herself walking through a colorful garden, where the sun was shining and people were laughing.

“I woke up and thought, ‘This was a great idea. I’ve got to do something about it,’” Rasmussen said.

From the dream, the idea for a community garden came to the Huntington Beach resident. Rasmussen had been looking for a way to help others during the economic crisis. Struggling after her husband lost his job, Rasmussen said, she knew other people must be going through the same thing.

Rasmussen wanted to create a place for residents to grow fruit, vegetables, herbs and even flowers to help people cut down on their grocery bills. With her own garden, Rasmussen has saved money.

“I don’t have to buy fresh produce a lot,” she said.

Rasmussen grows lettuce, onions, zucchini, eggplant, summer squash, cherry tomatoes and avocados, and has seven fruit trees in her garden.

The idea came to her only nine months ago, and already the community garden is starting to become a reality. With the help of co-founder Annette Parsons, the community garden has become a hot topic for the Beach Community Garden Assn. and has a bank account and the support of several city officials. Now, a plot of land is in the works.

Finding the land is the most difficult part, Huntington Beach Mayor Keith Bohr said.

“I think it’s a great idea. They just have to get over the hump of the site,” Bohr said.

The city is working with the association to find a suitable location. They have looked at park lands and vacant properties but didn’t find anything, said David Dominguez, the city’s community services facilities manager.

The city is currently in negotiations with Southern California Edison for an L-shaped plot of land on the southeast corner of Atlanta Avenue and Brookhurst Street along the Santa Ana River, Dominguez said.

“Edison is interested in licensing the property to the city,” he said.

Edison licenses La Bard and Langebeck parks, Dominguez said. Edison only wants to be involved with the city, but would have to agree to a memorandum of understanding with the association, allowing the members to use the land.

The licensing agreement and fee would also have to be approved by the City Council.

“This group is really dynamic,” Dominguez said. “I think it will happen.”

If Edison agrees to the deal, the association would get 2.5 acres of land, but would be able to use the entire 6-acre parcel after six months, Rasmussen said.

“All we really need is for Edison to say, ‘Yes, you may step onto the site,’” she said.

The association’s plan was originally just the garden, but has blossomed into much more.

The members want to teach gardening classes, educate the public on organic growing and donate some land for needy families to grow fresh produce.

They also want to have a seed exchange so residents can trade seeds and grow different plants.

“It will be fun,” Rasmussen said.