Changes Coming for Key Suwanee Park

Call it an extreme chicken-coop makeover.

Rosemary and Sweet Pea, the two hens who reside in a coop at White Street Park in Suwanee, soon will have their digs remodeled by city officials. These and other changes for the park and its popular organic garden, Harvest Farm, were decided Wednesday during a meeting of the Harvest Farm Managing Board at City Hall.

The hens have lived at the park (752 White Street) since September 2010. The remodeling should be done in a couple of months.

Also in the works: a work day at the park, a marketing effort for the garden that will tie in with the Toast @ Town Center event on Aug. 25, and a website for the park and garden.

Among the items that are in the planning stages are custom-made hand soaps, with themes and fragrances derived from plants at the garden.

Chantez Daya, director of the garden, said that officials will sell a hand soap called Gardener's Grits at the August city event. The soap is made by Secret Garden Soap of Gainesville and comes in 3.5 ounce bars. Also possible are T-shirts, water bottles, massage oils and lotions with a garden theme.

Also, a work day is planned for Saturday, July 30, 8-10 a.m. Council Member Dan Foster, a member of the Harvest Farm board, will be among those participating. The intent is to have a work day at the garden on the last Saturday of every month.

Also, officials plan a website for the garden: www.harvestfarmsuwanee.com. Registration for classes at the garden, plot signups and renewals, and an online store are planned. There are 76 plots at the community garden. They plan for the site to be live by Aug. 25.