ATHENS-Since July, volunteers have been playing in the dirt so to speak to turn the Farmers Market into a place that better supports local farmers and provides an asset for the community.
They’ve spent more than 700 hours to accomplish this feat.
In July, Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful with the assistance of the City of Athens, Spirit of Athens and Limestone
County Commission received the only $20,000 Lowe’s/Keep America Beautiful grant in the state. That led to a Farmers Market Renovation Committee working with the city and county to paint the pavilion, add sidewalks and improve parking.
Boy Scout Troop 240 and Doug Doerr, who worked on the project toward his Eagle Scout badge, the Lowe’s Heroes from the local Lowe’s store, and other volunteers have since put in 731 volunteer hours and donated nearly $10,000 in materials and professional services. These volunteers have added a gazebo, a shed for supplies, landscaping and container and organic community gardens.
“KALB is so excited to be part of this very worthwhile project which will serve our community in 
numerous ways,” said KALB Executive Coordinator Lynne Hart. “Winning the only $20,000 Lowe’s Grant awarded in the State of Alabama is a highlight for our organization this year.”
A garden coordinator will work with non-profit groups, school groups and others to schedule volunteer hours to plant, maintain and harvest the gardens. Food collected will be donated to the food bank at Limestone County Churches Involved.
Lynne Hart
“The improvements made and those to come will definitely enhance an area of our city that had not been attractive,” Hart said. “The free educational programs to be offered beginning in the spring will enhance the Saturday Markets as well as provide opportunities to our school children. We are especially happy to play a part in getting fresh, healthy food to those in our community who need it most.”
The committee is inviting the community to a ribbon-cutting on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 2 to 3 p.m., to celebrate the near completion of the project. The volunteers will be on hand to explain each aspect of the project including how citizens can make their own container and organic gardens. Citizens can tour the area during this time. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be at 2:30 p.m.
Santa will be in the gazebo meeting children and handing out hot chocolate and candy canes. He also will be collecting canned and dry 
goods for the Limestone County Churches Involved food bank. Sparky will also be in attendance with the Athens-Limestone Recycling Center to help highlight educational programs planned at the market.
The renovations will enable groups like KALB, Athens Saturday Market Committee, Spirit of Athens and others to hold educational programs related to soil conservation, gardening tips, reuse of items and recycling for gardening, rain water collection and more. Informational signs will be installed at a later date to describe the difference between the container gardens. Volunteers have built keyhole beds, hugelkultur gardens and flower gardens from concrete culverts.
A keyhole bed is circular with a path to the inner middle, which gives it a keyhole look. The garden will contain a raised mound of compost which will continually leach into and feed the plants. A hugelkultur garden is a
