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By Miriam Raftery
February 23, 2013 (El Cajon)—Shamoon Jeejo, an immigrant from war-torn Iraq, is pleased to be among the local residents who now have a raised garden plot at Circle Community Garden. The new garden had its grand opening ceremony today, serving up cake as local residents staked out spaces--and more are available.
“In Iraq, I had a garden, it was like ten of this space,” Jeejo (photo, left) told East County Magazine. “I live near here, by the library. If there is work, I want to volunteer. “ For Jeejo, who came here two and a half years ago to escape the oppressive government in Iraq, there is another benefit of working with others. “I want to speak English; if I am with community, I can learn to speak English very well,” he says.
By noon today, five spaces had been sold – but plenty more are still available, said Rebecca O’Connor, deacon at the First Presbyterian Church, which rungs the garden along with Saint Albans church.
Plots range in price from $32.50 to $47.50 for six months. There is after a $25 deposit, which is refundable if the plot is left in good condition. After six month, once a drip irrigation system is added, the pricing may change.
Garden plots range in size from four-by-eight feet to large 20-by-20 foot spaces.
Todays’s event was one of several celebrating Community Gardens Day in El Cajon. A half dozen gardens held events, which will continue this afternoon at other locations. For a full schedule, see http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/12494
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