EAST MONTPELIER CENTER – Organizers had no shortage of customers at the third annual Plant Sale on May 24 at the Old Meeting House. Most plants were sold before 1:30 in the afternoon.
“It was a terrific sale. We had a lot more of everything this year,” said Mark Catlin, one of the organizers. Catherine Cerulli agreed, saying, “The first year we just did flowers. Then we had veggie starts. It just gets better and better.” Items included several strains of tomatoes, cabbages, onions, perennial flowers, and more. She described the sale attendance as “robust.”
Catlin said he observed more and more people are starting to garden, which he believes is partly a result of the coronavirus stay home orders. The effect of the pandemic on gardening is caused by people staying home with extra time for gardening combined with a desire to not have to go to the store as much for food.
Money from the sale goes toward supporting the missions of The Old Meeting House, said Cerulli. The church supports several nonprofit organizations, including the Onion River Food Shelf, Good Samaritan Haven (a homeless shelter in Barre), Girls Boyz First (a mentoring organization in Montpelier), Another Way (peer support for people trying to overcome struggles), and Circle (addresses violence against women).
