Historic greenhouse could be used year-round, organization says

Chester Community Greenhouse & Gardens has been received notice by the designer at Winandy Greenhouse Co. of Indiana that the galvanized steel 1936 Lord & Burnham greenhouse in CCG&G’s possession is strong enough to be retrofitted with high-efficiency glazing, according to a press release dated Oct. 14.

To read the letter, click here.

All the Lord & Burnham greenhouse blueprints are housed at the Mertz Library in New York City, which, until recently, has been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s a question we’ve waited more than a year to get an answer to. As soon as the library opened and we got the blueprints, we forwarded them to the glass company,” said Cheryl Joy Lipton, president of the board of local organization. “What this very exciting news means is that we’ll be able to grow in the greenhouse 12 months a year.”

CCG&G has been working with the Chester Select Board to figure out which town site is best for the historic structure, which is currently in storage. CCG&G board members and volunteers continue to work on grants to help fund the project. They are actively seeking to increase the size of the board of directors.

“Once it’s up and running, the greenhouse will be a measure of pride, along with the other historic structures in the village of Chester,” said board member Melody Reed. And, she added, it is also “about building community and participation in the entire project over time.”

CCG&G’s vision is to have gardens outside as well as raised beds inside the greenhouse. The organization’s website also says it will be a place for people “to gather to share ideas, techniques and experience, a place to work and laugh with friends, a way to increase local food security and have a real impact on climate change, and a place to experiment, educate and inspire.”

Anyone interested in getting involved is encouraged to contact the organization at chestergreenhouse@gmail.com.