The “off” season at Summit Community Gardens and EATS, when the gardens are blanketed in ice and snow, is never really off for staff of the local nonprofit, said Executive Director Helen Nadel.Along with grant applying and educational programming in schools, there’s always planning for the next growing season, however short it may be. And part of that planning involves reflecting on the challenges from the past season to anticipate solutions for the next one.This year, Nadel said they’ve decided to call in an expert, a local farmer she met during Leadership Park City’s Class 30.Andrea Morgan, now owner of Moonshadow Farm, was born and raised in Park City.“I grew up in Park Meadows gardening with my dad, so I have a good idea of the challenges in Park City, because there are a lot. It is a very hard growing climate,” she said.Previously a full-time employee at Ranui Gardens, Morgan bought the farm from its previous owners and rebranded as Moonshadow, keeping the same biodynamic methods. While farming full time often meant having winters more-or-less off, Morgan said the addition of a mortgage payment had her looking for a winter job this year.“This fall, Helen called me just for some advice. She just wanted to see what I thought about a couple of things (because) she was going to be posting this job position for a farm advisor,” Morgan remembered. She decided to toss her name in the ring, and Nadel later came back with an offer. “​​To have access to somebody who’s got 14, 15 years of professional farming experience, up here, means that we are elevating the crop plan and soil health and so many things to the next level,” Nadel said.It’s a win-win, Morgan agreed.“I get to continue focusing on (my farm). I’m doing my seed order, and I’m going to do their seed order at the same time. That’s great. And all of the things that I can’t grow that I think would be really fun to do on a smaller scale, and would be interesting for kids or for community members, I’m like, ‘Great, now I have a place to see it happen,’” she said.The idea is for Morgan to put together a plan for the particular challenges in the Park City growing season, with ideas and solutions tried and true for farms like her own. It’s a goal that the nonprofit has aimed to establish for a while, which will then allow them to hire a full-time garden manager who can build off the recommendations from Morgan.Best case? No more learning the hard way. “You don’t have to think about all the logistics. Just, here’s the plan. And as you start to get to know the land and get to know the soil, you can just refer back to, here’s a good step-by-step,” Morgan said. “Things are always changing. Nothing ever goes as planned farming or gardening, but to have a good reference point to go back to and then be able to change as you’re observing on the ground — that is very helpful.”One fundamental for Morgan is soil health.“The talk of all farmers right now is basically, to sum it up, enhancing soil biology is key, not just bacteria, but really bringing fungi in,” she said.Currently enrolled in the Soil Food Web School taught by leading soil scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham, Morgan said she has plenty of ideas for the gardens, like introducing new species to elevate the compost and creating high-quality compost teas that are easy to use for plot renters.Nadel said they’re also exploring ideas like introducing a seed library, as well as options for a more robust season extension package for plot renters. They’re also giving locals and plot renters access to Morgan’s expertise through a series of classes centered on high-altitude gardening, the first starting in February. While it’s difficult to think about gardening in the dead of winter, the two said it’s important for plot renters to begin preparing for what to expect before it’s too late.“Some of them have been with us for years and really know how to manage this crazy microclimate that we’re in, but some are brand new this year. Some maybe started this last year, the year before and really are still learning. And I put myself in that category,” Nadel said, going into her third season at the gardens, now at a year as the director.Two Zoom classes are scheduled — High Altitude Gardening 101 on Feb. 12 and Gardening Success at High Altitude on March 5 — for 6-7:15 p.m. at $25 per class. The third class will be held in person on April 9, and the location and cost is to be determined.Excited, Nadel said this partnership is years in the making.“The things that come out of the Leadership class,” the two women laughed.The post Summit Community Gardens and EATS brings on longtime local farmer as consultant appeared first on Park Record.