From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for July 2, 1989:

An article today featured several “community gardeners” in Lawrence. Rupert Pate, 716 N. Fourth, and his family shared their North Lawrence garden spot with half a dozen families at no charge. “It’s really nice. You’ll see kids out there with their parents. It gives us a lot of pleasure to watch people out there,” Pate said, adding that he and his wife insisted on organic gardening and lots of weed-pulling. Charles Hamilton the former owner of that property, had made the sale of the Pates’ lot contingent upon their agreeing to let others garden there. Pate allowed a neighbor have extra space in the garden in return for overseeing the mowing of the lot and coordinating the efforts of the other gardeners. One of the growers, retired pharmacist Sam Adame, had taken up gardening after retiring and had started small, but now his garden, measuring 60 by 90 feet, included melons, green beans, zucchini, sweet corn, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, hot peppers and bell peppers. “I enjoy doing it. I enjoy watching it grow and then I enjoy giving it away to people that appreciate it,” said Adame, who credited the rich North Lawrence soil with his success. On the other side of town, Norma Osborne described her enjoyment of her flower garden behind Babcock Place, 1700 Massachusetts. “To me, it is therapeutic…. I come home from work and it is just wonderful to come out and work,” she said. An adjoining vegetable garden planted and maintained by Babcock Place resident Grace Dresser was boasting beets, radishes, okra, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, and onions. Some garden plots offered each year by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department were providing an opportunity for garden-less people to exercise their green thumbs. “We were up there in February with our $5 for our plot. We were ready to garden,” said KU student Jim Conrad, who with his sister Pamela lived in a duplex with no garden space. Having grown up in western Kansas “with somewhat of a farm background,” Conrad said that it was worth the effort of driving across town three or four times a week to water and weed their little plot. “When you grow it with your own hands you know it is certainly safe to eat. And both of us like to get outside and exercise, and it is a great way to get exercise.”