By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
All summer long, the Ortonville DDA will be moving the Ortonville Plant Swap table around downtown Ortonville. The exchange is free, and anyone can take a plant or “leaf” a plant.
“Stephanie Elowsky actually mentioned this on Facebook and it seemed most people loved the idea,” said Sarah Allen, Brandon Township resident and the person who put the plant swap table into action.

“The stand that was originally posted was just out of a pallet and I wanted to build something sturdier and something mobile to move around downtown.”
The DDA was able to pay for the material costs, and Allen and her husband were able to bring the vision to life.
“Overall I think it’s a nice addition because people always have extra plants to split and share,” said Allen. “I drove by yesterday and saw people were already using it to share items which is so neat. Last year I completed the MSU Master Gardner courses and I love seeing others excitement for plants. I’ve been working on cleaning the BMS gardens for my MSU volunteer hours and it brings me tons of joy seeing others enjoying plants and gardens.”
The Ortonville DDA is hoping it will encourage people to explore the downtown, as the cart will be hosted by different businesses throughout the year.
“The idea is that the community will share their gardens with each other,” said DDA President Courtney McClerren. “This is in an effort to encourage commerce, community and a sense of place.”