VIDALIA — As 18-month-old Kaylyn Ozment helped mark off a plot of land at the Vidalia Community garden Tuesday, part of her mother’s dream came true.

“I just want them to grow up and know where their food really comes from,” Crystal said, while her newest born, 5-month-old Kolt, rested on her chest. “They’re both going to learn and be right up in the gardening process.”

Crystal and her husband Kent joined six other Vidalians who have reserved plots on 20 acres of land on D.A. Biglane that they hope will transform into a thriving community garden.

Former Master Gardener Terri Morris and Molly Cooper have been working since February to prep the land for gardeners eager to grow their own food, but who might not have the space at home.

“We’re trying to encourage people to come out and start getting involved,” Morris said. “This is the first year, so of course there’s going to be a learning curve, but the response has been great so far.”

After getting a positive soil test from the land and getting a good response from the community, Morris said she kicked into high gear last week to allot the gardeners their plot, so they could start planting as soon as possible.

“Different crops are ready to plant at different times, but we wanted to hurry up and let people start planting on their land,” Morris said. “Hopefully we’ll see some growth in the next few weeks.”

While they might have missed their chance to plant potatoes, Morris said April is perfect for planting corn, peas, tomatoes and squash.

Parts of the land have been outfitted with a water supply, including 17-double-faucet spigots, and will soon receive a fence, gate and security lights.

Vidalia City Manager Ken Walker is another eager gardener that has reserved his plot of land and is looking forward to having fresh fruits and vegetables at his disposal.

“I grew up on a farm, and we always had gardens on the farm, so this is nothing new for me,” Walker said. “Nothing is better than a real fresh tomato.”

Walker said being a vegetarian in the Miss-Lou makes finding good meals a bit of a challenge, but he looks forward to having an array of fresh vegetables spread across his table.

“I’m planning on growing a little bit of everything — tomatoes, peas, beans, asparagus and maybe some garlic,” Walker said. “I’m familiar with the community garden process, and I think this is something else the City of Vidalia can be proud of.”

Wayne Crain also visited the garden Tuesday to pick his plot of land, with high hopes of starting to plant next week.

“That’ll all depend on what the weather does,” Crain said. “If it’s not washed out, I’ll be out here soon planting corn and peas.”

Crain said he already has a small garden at his house, which yields butterbeans, cucumber and squash, but that the extra space at the community garden will help diversify his vegetable bounty.

“This will come in handy because I’m out of room at the garden at my house,” Crain said.

While several of the developed plots of land are already claimed, Morris said there are still several open to anyone wanting to get involved.

“After I talk to them, we’ll come out here and find out what they want to grow and how much space they need,” Morris said. “I just tell them not to take more than they can take care of.”

Currently, there is no cost to acquire a plot of land, but Morris said some kind of contribution will be required in the future.

For more information or to get involved, contact Morris at 318-548-4357.