Brightside: Doug’s Swift Community Garden

CRISFIELD, Md. – A group of dedicated community members in Crisfield are developing some green thumbs in hopes of providing a more beautiful, and blossoming version of the town, and it’s all thanks to the passion for community from one man.

Helping hands from all across Crisfield are creating a vibrant and thriving garden. “It is the growth that you see happening, you see people coming together with a new sense of hope and I think that this whole garden exemplifies what we want Crisfield to become,” says Mayor, Darlene Taylor.

The garden is known as Doug Swift’s community garden, a place where flowers are blooming and vegetables are thriving. The garden contains trees dedicated to the memory of loved ones, as well as a colorful fence to show the diversity of the city. There’s even a children’s corner where kids can get free books and take a seat on the buddy benches, otherwise known as anti-bully benches. “Coming together to make this place a place, a happy place. Where folks like to be to join together with one another and to grow things even grow more than vegetables is what our anthem or motto is,” says a local Reverend and community garden member, Emanuel Johnson. He adds, “Bringing people together that might not get to know one another from diverse backgrounds and coming together to really to make the community.” One of the garden organizers, Cindy Freeman, also adds, “We don’t care where were you come from or where you’re going we want you here as a community.”

Now, this idea of community, gardening, and kindness stems from a Crisfield resident whose legacy has been ‘planted’ in this garden, Doug Swift. A man who dedicated his life to helping others, and showing kindness through acts of service. “Doug loved Crisfield, Crisfield loved Doug,” says Johnson. Laverne Johnson, a Crisfield Councilwoman adds, “Doug was a very instrumental vital part of our community and everybody loved Doug and Doug loved everybody.” Taylor also adds, “He was an icon, what he exemplified was our patience and our kindness and our belief that it doesn’t matter who you are, everybody brings something important to the table so this garden shows that.”

Although Doug’s life was unfortunately cut short, city officials and community members wanted to make sure his work continued. “As a council woman for the city, I’m grateful that we have people that take an interest in the city and that they’re doing this,” says Johnson. Taylor adds, “What it shows is that our mission is truly greater than our differences. Look at what happens when we come together, and that’s what this says.”

Community garden members also tell us, in an economically depressed area such as Crisfield, they wanted to find a way to improve the city while also utilizing the tools they have to do so. “We need to introduce vegetables and healthy foods to some of the kids especially in our community,” says Rev. Johnson. Freeman adds, “Build our area so people in town that have no access to gardening will be able to rent out a box for a season for $4 and whatever they grow and we’ll help them and teach them how to grow vegetables, they’ll be able to keep for their families.”

These efforts all to make Crisfield closer and brighter. “It’s just a really sad world right now and everybody needs a little garden to go to,” says Freeman.

Now Doug Swift’s garden has recently become a non-profit, and they’re working on grants to continue growing the garden. They have plans to create a sensory garden for children, and to provide more learning opportunities about gardening as well.

Rev. Johnson also says they also hope the garden becomes large enough to plan a harvest dinner with food from the garden, and welcome the whole community to come and help out.

You can visit their Facebook page for more information on how you can help out.