About Us
Community Gardening
The benefits of community gardening--
The Coalition of Community Gardens - Tampa Bay, brief history
The Coalition of Community Gardens was the result of a brainstorming session in August, 2015. Representatives of 6 Hillsborough County community gardens and allied professionals were present. Original members: Plant City Commons, Seeds of Faith, Seminole Heights, Tampa Eden Project, Tampa Heights, Temple Terrace, Temple T. Farm 2 Sch, University Area CG, Extension Agents from Hillsborough & Polk County, David Whitwam, Rebecca Blanco. At the next planning meeting, April 2016, we drafted the mission and goals. We have steadily been working to accomplish those goals. Organization’s achievements, 2016-2020.
Community Gardening - Tampa Bay Area
Are you interested in finding a community garden near you?
MANATEE
ALLIED ENTITIES:
The following organizations/businesses are affiliated members of the coalition:
City of Tampa, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Hillsborough County Commissioners, Hillsborough County Planning Commission, Hillsborough Extension Service, Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization, Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation District, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Sustany Foundation, Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger, Tampa Garden Club, Whitwam Organics,
For more information:
AMERICAN COMMUNITY GARDENING ASSOCIATION https://communitygarden.org/resources/10-steps-to-starting-a-community-garden/
IFAS Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida. There are loads of articles on topics of interest: here are a few:
Matching grant - new garden start up funds or established garden expansion funds.
up to $600. see https://sustany.org/community-gardens-matching-fund/
Grow Community Garden Conference
Shouting OUT a big "thank you" to all who attended the Grow Community Gardens conference last year!
Grow Gardens Virtual Conference, 2020: Thanks to Garden Steps Partners who presented at the webinar. Thanks to those who attended! Information and inspiration on the impact of gardening on health, the impact of policy on food security/food sovereignty.
Grow Gardens Conference, 2019: DEEP APPRECIATION FOR the garden leaders who participated in the sessions:
Grow Gardens Conference, 2018: DEEP APPRECIATION FOR the garden leaders and city/county officials from across the region who participated in the panel discussion: Thom Snelling/City of Tampa, Raleigh Barnes/Hillsborough Parks & Rec., Cheri Donohue/City of Temple Terrace, Bill Bilodeaux/Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition Pinellas , Robyn Keefe, Pinellas Parks Dept., Alana Brasier, Renaissance Planning, Michele Ogilvie/Garden Steps, Tampa. We were so sorry that Ava Deveaux, Bartlett Park/Pinellas, had a family emergency and could not attend.
· THANKS to—Joseph W. Dorsey, Ph.D., USF Patel College of Global Sustainability: Growing Gardens, Raising Communities: Movement, Moment, Momentum
·THANKS to members for presenting their projects: 1)Lee Elementary school garden, 2)Homebiogas—Tracy Tippin, 3) Blake HS school garden & biodigester; 4) Sustany Foundation, Seed to Sustenance ; 5) Rodrick Taylor, fresh chef; 6) Fresh Market HART/Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful; 7) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; 8) Clearwater Marine Aquarium; zero waste plan; 9) Karissa Raymond, U of F.
·THANKS to members for presenting information
Thank you to our sponsors: Sustany Foundation and Garden Steps.
THANKS to Shell's Feed & Garden Supply for sponsoring our hospitality table.
The benefits of community gardening--
- Adds to the quality of life
- Exercise
- Fresh , organically grown veggies
- Get to know your neighbors
- Provides opportunities for social engagement & education
- Intergenerational interaction, cross cultural connections
- Children learn where their food comes from
- Beautifies the neighborhood
- Reduces crime
- Improves property values
- Benefits the environment
- Eating local reduces carbon footprint
- Improves the viability of soil
The Coalition of Community Gardens - Tampa Bay, brief history
The Coalition of Community Gardens was the result of a brainstorming session in August, 2015. Representatives of 6 Hillsborough County community gardens and allied professionals were present. Original members: Plant City Commons, Seeds of Faith, Seminole Heights, Tampa Eden Project, Tampa Heights, Temple Terrace, Temple T. Farm 2 Sch, University Area CG, Extension Agents from Hillsborough & Polk County, David Whitwam, Rebecca Blanco. At the next planning meeting, April 2016, we drafted the mission and goals. We have steadily been working to accomplish those goals. Organization’s achievements, 2016-2020.
- Organized quarterly meetings, visiting each other's gardens, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
- established a logo
- started a website
- Established goals at our first organizational meeting 4/16 coalition_workshop__4-16-16_kw.docx
- Participated in Hillsborough County Neighborhood Conference
- Participated in Sustany Buzz
- Participated in the State Fair, 2018, 2019, 2020
- Participated in Garden Steps, one of 50 counties to receive $10,000.00 in Aetna Foundation's Healthiest Cities/Counties Challenge to improve the health of our community. Following 2 yea rs, Garden Steps came in runner up and were awarded $50,000.00 to implement the goals over the next 3 years.
- Article in Tampa Bay Times in August
- Created a brochure promoting community gardening for the Department of Health public_health_pamphlet_hillsb.pub.pdf
- Made numerous presentations to neighborhood groups;
- Participated in Hillsborough county center wellness display, Earth Day week.
- Collaborated with university partners to expand the field of knowledge; UF research and USF research
- encouraged Youth Gardening opportunities; partnered with local Elementary School to establish their school garden;
- connected with government agencies to streamline process
- connected with allied organizations to support existing gardens
- Received Best of the Best, Hillsborough County Soil/Water Conservation award
- connected with Extension to develop educational supports for inner city gardens; inaugurated classes in the fall of 2019.
- Made a presentation at the Annual Conference of the American Community Gardening Assoc., Sept. 2019
- collaborated with the Sustany Foundation to establish a source of funds to aid groups in starting a new garden or enhance an existing one; presented checks to 4 garden start-ups: Apollo Beach, Urban Progress Alliance, Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, 1Body Ministries, and University Area Community Garden (Harvest Hope Park)
- met with City of Tampa Parks/Rec Director, Planning & Devel Director, Paul Dial and staff to establish a framework of collaboration, utilizing selected property in City of Tampa Parks for community gardening.
- hosted our first & second annual conference, 2018 and 2019
- planning our third annual conference, May, 2020
Community Gardening - Tampa Bay Area
Are you interested in finding a community garden near you?
MANATEE
- Lakewood Ranch Community Garden, 13010 Adventure Place, Lakewood Ranch. loriwalker263@gmail.com,
- Farmden & Community Garden, 15029 14th Street, Pasco County
- Friendship Farms & Fare, 6119 Illinois Ave., New Port Richey
- Habitat for Humanity, New Port Richey
- Grand Gardens, New Port Richey
- Watson Park Community Garden, Dade City
- Bartlett Park Community Garden, St. Pete. 1443 Highland St. S, St. Pete, Ava, goodhearted25@gmail.com.
- Beacon Food Forest Community Garden, 2470 Nursery Rd., Clearwater, Jay Hardman
- Clearwater Community Garden, 2333 Grove, Howard Warshauer, captainhw@gmail.com
- Daystar Life Center Community Garden, 1055 28th Street S., St. Petersburg, Robin Clemmons, robinpclemmons@gmail.com,
- EcoVillage, 302 15th Street N, St. Pete, Chris Kendrick, chriskenrick195@gmail.com
- Cops 'N Kids , Tarpon Springs, Ryan Farley, canyoudigit560@gmail.com
- Oldsmar Organic Community Garden, 423 Lafayette Blvd, Oldsmar, oldsmarorganicgarden@gmail.com,
- St. Pete Community Garden, Maggie Jensen, meagan.jensen01@gmail.com
- 1Body Ministries Community Garden, 124th Avenue & Tinsley Terr., Amanda, amanda@1bodyministries.com
- Apollo Beach Community Food Forest and garden, Apollo Beach County Park, Paula, pahrn@yahoo.com,
- Forest Hills Presbyterian Church Community Garden, Fran
- HOPE Community Garden, Suzette Dean, 4902 N. 22 St., Tampa, bministr@yahoo.com,
- Mustard Seed Garden at Lutz Community Church 601 Sunset Lane, Ardell ONeal, adosr6@gmail.com,
- Plant City Commons Community Garden. Karen Elizabeth, 2001 E Cherry St. Plant City, 12circle8@gmail.com
- Progress Village Community Garden, 677-7074
- Robles Park Village Community Garden. Reva Iman, 3518 N Avon Avenue, Tampa
- Seeds of Faith Community Garden at Bay Life Church, 1017 N Kingsway Rd, Brandon, John Dukes,
- Seeds of Peace Community Garden, 4120 N MacDill Avenue, Tampa, Ron Junda, ronjunda@gmail.com
- Seminole Hts Community Garden, Colleen Parker, 6114 River Terrace., Tampa, info.shcg@gmail.com
- Seffner Community Garden, 406 N Kingsway Ave., Seffner. Joy.ingram@verizon.net
- Sulphur Springs Community Garden, 1506 East Eskimo Ave., Meagan.Smithyman@TampaYMCA.Org,
- Sustainable Living Project, 918 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa, Georgea Snyder, slpgeorgea@gmail.com
- Tampa Bay Community Garden at St. Mary’s Ethiopian Church, Fr. B, 679-4982
- Tampa Hts Community Garden, Kitty Wallace, Lena Young Green, 992-0940, kittwal@aol.com,
- Temple Terrace Community Garden, 329 S Riverhills Dr., Temple Terrace, Valerie, ricoflash@gmail.com,
- University Area Community Garden, Erica Nelson, 14013 N 22 Street, Tampa, enelson@uacdc.org
- Vincentian Faith & Grace Garden, 9715 N 56 Street, Temple Terrace, Kelly Seeley, kellymseeley@gmail.com,
- VISTA Gardens, Carrollwood, Bill West, 13572 South Village Dr., Tampa, bw.vistagardens@gmail.com,
- Waters Avenue Church Community Garden, 609 W Waters Ave., Jessica Brenner, jeccabrerr@gmail.com,
- Ybor Street, 2429 Ybor Street, Tampa, Jessica Brenner, jeccabrerr@gmail.com,
ALLIED ENTITIES:
The following organizations/businesses are affiliated members of the coalition:
City of Tampa, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Hillsborough County Commissioners, Hillsborough County Planning Commission, Hillsborough Extension Service, Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization, Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation District, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Sustany Foundation, Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger, Tampa Garden Club, Whitwam Organics,
For more information:
AMERICAN COMMUNITY GARDENING ASSOCIATION https://communitygarden.org/resources/10-steps-to-starting-a-community-garden/
IFAS Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida. There are loads of articles on topics of interest: here are a few:
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021
- compost - http://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/compost/quick-tutorial.shtml
- growing heirloom tomatoes: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs174
Matching grant - new garden start up funds or established garden expansion funds.
up to $600. see https://sustany.org/community-gardens-matching-fund/
Grow Community Garden Conference
Shouting OUT a big "thank you" to all who attended the Grow Community Gardens conference last year!
Grow Gardens Virtual Conference, 2020: Thanks to Garden Steps Partners who presented at the webinar. Thanks to those who attended! Information and inspiration on the impact of gardening on health, the impact of policy on food security/food sovereignty.
Grow Gardens Conference, 2019: DEEP APPRECIATION FOR the garden leaders who participated in the sessions:
Grow Gardens Conference, 2018: DEEP APPRECIATION FOR the garden leaders and city/county officials from across the region who participated in the panel discussion: Thom Snelling/City of Tampa, Raleigh Barnes/Hillsborough Parks & Rec., Cheri Donohue/City of Temple Terrace, Bill Bilodeaux/Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition Pinellas , Robyn Keefe, Pinellas Parks Dept., Alana Brasier, Renaissance Planning, Michele Ogilvie/Garden Steps, Tampa. We were so sorry that Ava Deveaux, Bartlett Park/Pinellas, had a family emergency and could not attend.
· THANKS to—Joseph W. Dorsey, Ph.D., USF Patel College of Global Sustainability: Growing Gardens, Raising Communities: Movement, Moment, Momentum
·THANKS to members for presenting their projects: 1)Lee Elementary school garden, 2)Homebiogas—Tracy Tippin, 3) Blake HS school garden & biodigester; 4) Sustany Foundation, Seed to Sustenance ; 5) Rodrick Taylor, fresh chef; 6) Fresh Market HART/Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful; 7) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; 8) Clearwater Marine Aquarium; zero waste plan; 9) Karissa Raymond, U of F.
·THANKS to members for presenting information
- Healthy Gardens—Koreen Brennan, Permacul tur e, Grow Permaculture.com·
- Healthy gardeners—Ayesha Johnson, Ph.D. /DOH, Health issues in Food Desert Areas·
- Healthy community—Bardine Hicks,/Senior Connections, Gardening w Seniors
Thank you to our sponsors: Sustany Foundation and Garden Steps.
THANKS to Shell's Feed & Garden Supply for sponsoring our hospitality table.
