Rooted in Nourishment: The Story of Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre Community Garden
By Melissa Bloxham
Each year, the Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre selects a theme to guide its programming and community engagement. In 2024, the chosen theme was Nourish. It was a word that took on layered meaning through the Centre’s evolving initiatives.
Sorrento Centre Community Garden. (Photo credit: Melissa Bloxham)
One of the most vibrant expressions of this theme was the community garden, a space that nourishes on every level:
It feeds the body with fresh, local produce.
It feeds the community by contributing to food security.
It feeds the spirit by bringing people together and offering a renewed sense of purpose. And it feeds the mind through hands-on learning and shared knowledge.
The garden sits on a piece of land generously donated by Mary Rawson to the Centre. Part of that property remains untouched forest, serving as a living tribute to the Centre’s reverence for the natural world. The cultivated area is divided into two distinct zones. The first features 16 raised garden beds, which community members can rent for just $15 per season. With growing interest, there is now a waitlist in place. The second is a working community farm, overseen by Angelo, the Centre’s farm manager, who shares planting and maintenance duties with other members of the retreat centre.
The food harvested from the farm supports the Centre’s meals. Stay-over guests of the Retreat are invited to tour the farm and now have the opportunity to purchase a Harvest Box, a seasonal collection of fresh vegetables they can enjoy during their stay. Produce is also available to the public during the farm’s weekly sale every Friday from noon to 1 pm at the garden gazebo, located at 509 Armentieres Rd.
Artist James Hayes with raffle winner Isla Campbell. (Photo credit: Melissa Bloxham)
The farm’s location makes collaboration with the local Village Grocer both convenient and meaningful. The grocer happily accepts surplus produce if there is any from the garden, creating a win-win exchange rooted in goodwill. As Angelo notes, “There’s no pressure from a landowner or someone trying to meet profit margins. It’s a rare setup, purely about growing and sharing what we can.”
The garden’s kid-friendly area ensures that young people are part of the experience as well. With spaces to explore, play, and learn, the garden reflects the belief, held by many including Keltie, the Community Garden Co-ordinator, that early exposure to nature helps cultivate lifelong connection and curiosity.
The garden’s success is a result of a deeply collaborative effort. Samara, along with the Centre’s Associate Director, Kathie, were seminal in guiding the garden project and many other community members and organizations like United Way and SASCU have all played meaningful roles in helping it thrive.
On July 19, the garden hosted a Community Garden Party to celebrate the growing season and the people who make it possible. Guests brought ideas and posted them on a collaborative vision board. During the event, a beautiful oil painting by local artist and program leader James Hayes was raffled off. The painting, a valued piece of art, was a heartfelt gift to the community. Isla Campbell was the lucky winner. James and his wife, Jan are active participants in the garden, tending a couple of beds and contributing whimsical touches. One example is the series of birdhouses he created using antique clocks found at an estate giveaway.
Further adding to the beauty of the space is a gazebo, generously donated by a Calgary-based lawyer, Tonya Fleming, who has a summer home in Sorrento. It now serves as a peaceful, shaded gathering place within the garden.
In every way, the Sorrento community garden reflects the heart of the Nourish theme. It is not just about growing food. It is about growing connection, creativity, and care in every row, bed, and shared moment.
If you want to become involved or sign up for a garden bed, please reach out to Kathie MacDuff at the Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre. Email: kathie@sorrentocentre.ca.
