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<p>BUTLER TWP. &#8212; Krista Schneider is a firm believer in the benefits of community gardening.</p><p>And she was hoping Saturday&#8217;s open house and wellness event at the Butler Township Community Garden would convince a few more people of those benefits.</p><p>The garden includes 88 garden plots over more than an acre of area. Fifty-Five &#8220;renters&#8221; use the space to plant their own selection of organically grown food. The garden also includes a market where visitors can purchase items grown there and made available for sale by the participants.</p><p>Schneider founded the garden in 2009 and has served as the president of its board of directors. Currently, she is a member of the board.</p><p>On Saturday, visitors came to learn about the garden, she said. They also could get a massage or chiropractic care for themselves or their pets, find out about the benefits of yoga, make a scarecrow or paint a pumpkin.</p><p>The garden provides a nice place for &#8220;healthy hobbies,&#8221; Schneider said. People who use the garden enjoy talking about it, sharing with other gardeners, learning about gardening and making friends, she added.</p><p>It also gives them a place to grow healthy food without chemicals or additives when they don&#8217;t have their own land available.</p><p>Schneider said it&#8217;s not just adults that work in the garden as some of the garden members are getting their children involved.</p><p>Gardeners of all ages can enjoy the outdoor activity and exercise, she added.</p><p>About 25 volunteers helped set up the event, including members of the local Girl Scouts troop and students from the Keystone Job Corps.</p><p>Jo Robbins uses the garden because she likes knowing she&#8217;s eating healthy vegetables and leafy greens that she grows herself. She doesn&#8217;t have the land available where she lives to do any gardening.</p><p>Robbins, who volunteers with the Penn State Extension master gardener program, said the benefits of organic gardening are becoming more well known.</p><p>The garden has additional plots available for interested newcomers, Schneider said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Visitors walk through the Butler Township Community Garden. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL092516Garden_4-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Visitors walk through the Butler Township Community Garden. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL092516Garden_3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A scarecrow painter stands at the Butler Township Community Garden. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL092516Garden_3-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>A scarecrow painter stands at the Butler Township Community Garden. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL092516Garden_2-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kim Marcelliano, of Sugarloaf Township, walks her goat, Rocky, in the Butler Township Community Garden. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL092516Garden_2-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Kim Marcelliano, of Sugarloaf Township, walks her goat, Rocky, in the Butler Township Community Garden. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL092516Garden_1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Amelia Minzola, right, 12, of Drums, paints a pumpkin with Kylie Lapinsky, 4, of Hazle Township, and Nathan Houser, 12, of Zion Grove, at an open house and health awareness event at the Butler Township Community Garden on Saturday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL092516Garden_1-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Amelia Minzola, right, 12, of Drums, paints a pumpkin with Kylie Lapinsky, 4, of Hazle Township, and Nathan Houser, 12, of Zion Grove, at an open house and health awareness event at the Butler Township Community Garden on Saturday morning. </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ralph Nardone</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Butler Township Community Garden holds open house