PETERSON COMMUNITY GARDEN
The Peterson Community Garden is located at 205 Hutto St., Hutto, TX.
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* This page is under construction, being updated. Thank you for your patience.*
The historic Peterson Community Garden in the Old Town neighborhood is an authentic, living piece of the city’s agricultural history. The property is just shy of an acre and was farmed by longtime Hutto resident, Curtis Peterson, until his death in 2010 at the age of 85. Peterson was part of a long lineage of farmers that immigrated to Hutto, TX from Sweden. What is now known as the Peterson Community Garden was the last property to have livestock on it within the Hutto City Limits. The last of Curtis Peterson’s cows were removed in 2009.​ (The below photo is courtesy of Mike Fowler.)
In 2011, Curtis Peterson’s remaining land, entrusted to his heirs, was leased to Keep Hutto Beautiful to be used as community garden. From 2011 to 2014, the land was used for gardening plots that individuals could lease.
Through discussion and community feedback, the function of the Peterson Community Garden is changing in order to encompass a larger educational need for Hutto. The Keep Hutto Beautiful Foundation’s vision for the space is to transform it into a series of demonstration gardens and teaching areas, while paying homage to the garden’s namesake, Curtis Peterson. The Monarch Waystation is the first of the demonstration gardens to be created at this location. In addition to garden demonstration areas being worked on, educational sections are also being created that show the history of Swedish farming with the use of Curtis Peterson’s original farm implements.
Demonstration Garden
LOCATED AT PETERSON COMMUNITY GARDEN
The renovation of the Peterson Community Garden allows Keep Hutto Beautiful to turn a historically significant space in the Downtown Hutto area into an area that honors the agricultural history of Hutto. We are doing this through demonstration areas focused on Texas Native Plants and Wildlife Habitats, as well as green initiatives education areas.
Is there a demonstration garden that you would like to see? Email us and tell us about your idea.
Have a project idea?
Composting at the Garden
Coming Soon
Monarch Waystation
Speaker Series at the Garden
Several years ago, utilizing funding opportunities from the City of Hutto through they Outside Agency Funds Keep Hutto Beautiful began a development of what is now referred to as the speakers area at the community garden. This space is immediately south of the historic barn with shade beds on the east and west sides of the site. This area is utilized for programming of different speakers, bringing education and demonstrations to the citizens of Hutto.
This year so far, we have hosted a program on tree planting and tree care provided by Jonathan Motsinger, who is with Texas A&M Forest Service. The second program was on bee keeping by Scott Purcell, who is the keeper of the beehive at the gardens. Community members learned the basics of beekeeping, how to handle unwanted swarms, and the benefits for the environment and for plants when you have cultivate bees. Upcoming programs are being scheduled for photographing plants and butterflies, composting, seed saving, and fall gardening. Follow the Peterson Community Garden on Facebook to keep informed of our schedule.