Grow Gardens Conference
5th ANNUAL GROW GARDENS CONFERENCE:
Gardeners Gathered on Saturday, August 27, 2022 to Spotlight the Importance of Community Gardening on Sustainability & Resilience.
Gardeners Gathered on Saturday, August 27, 2022 to Spotlight the Importance of Community Gardening on Sustainability & Resilience.
The theme of the 5th Annual Grow Gardens Conference was Gardening is Good for the Earth, for garden lovers, sustainability/ resiliency advocates, food equity / food justice supporters, urban agriculturalists of all types and the general public. Her Honor, Mayor Jane Castor gave the opening address, along with regional experts to inspire and inform. Dr. Tammy Gray-Steele, CEO of the National Women in Agriculture Association, the keynote speaker, gave a lively account of interactions with the officials at the USDA. There was an opportunity to listen to and network with regional experts. Lunch was provided by Caterer, Stanley Foster.
Reception was held on Friday night, those who wore a veggie/fruity costume won applause and a pineapple! We truly appreciated the opportunity to acknowledge so many dedicated gardeners in our community!
Thanks to our sponsors: Humana, Tampa Bay Times, Whitwam Organics, Sustany Foundation!
Reception was held on Friday night, those who wore a veggie/fruity costume won applause and a pineapple! We truly appreciated the opportunity to acknowledge so many dedicated gardeners in our community!
Thanks to our sponsors: Humana, Tampa Bay Times, Whitwam Organics, Sustany Foundation!
4th Annual Grow Gardens Conference
Plant City Hillsborough Community College, 1206 N Park Rd., Plant City, Oct. 22, 2021, 9:30-4:30, Reception and garden tour to follow
We salute our presenters
Thanks to the Honorable Nikki Fried, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, for her address to the conference. Thanks to all who supported or attended the 4th Annual Grow Gardens Conference. October 22, 2021. at the Trinkle Center, Hillsborough Community College.
- 10:00 Welcome: Dr. Martyn Clay, Ph.D., President of HCC , Plant City
Keynote: Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Nikki Fried - 10:30 Community Gardens Panel: Apollo Beach Community Garden & Food Forest;
VISTA Gardens, Tampa; St. Pete Youth Farm - 11:30 Health – Gardening Impact: Mental Health: Kyaien Conner, Ph.D.; Chronic Disease Prevention: Hillsborough Dept. of Health
- 12:30 – 1:00 lunch
- 1:00 Policy Impacts on Community Gardens: Dell deChant, USF Urban Food Sovereignty, Pasco Florida Food Policy Council; Toni Young, Ph.D., Personal & Community Garden Policy
- 2:00 Developing Communities of Gardeners : Karen Elizabeth, Garden Steps, Tampa; Lisa Hickey, Plant-a-Pail, Manatee County IFAS/Extension
- 3:00 Tour of Urban Agriculture in Eastern & Mid-Atlantic States: Chris Kenrick, Joni Spencer, Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, Tampa
- 4:00 – Reception & Garden Tour at Plant City Commons Community Garden
Thanks to the Honorable Nikki Fried, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, for her address to the conference. Thanks to all who supported or attended the 4th Annual Grow Gardens Conference. October 22, 2021. at the Trinkle Center, Hillsborough Community College.
HUGE THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
Hillsborough Community College
Shell's Feed and Garden Supply, Inc.
Whitwam Organics
Hillsborough Community College
Shell's Feed and Garden Supply, Inc.
Whitwam Organics
| 2021_conference_program.pdf |
3rd Annual Grow Gardens Conference, held virtually May 15, 2020
Shouting OUT a big "thank you" to all who attended the Grow Community Gardens Conference 2020!
Hopefully you were able to participate in this "virtual conference" on Friday, May 15, 2020. This was an interactive conference which provided information and inspiration in 3 key areas. It was recorded on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otJZ1utgbG8.
These are 3 essential areas important to the health of our community and to the success of community gardening.
HEALTH - presenters will inform on the impact of community gardening/food systems on the health of our community:
POLICY - presenters will share key policy issues that impact community gardening
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.
Hopefully you were able to participate in this "virtual conference" on Friday, May 15, 2020. This was an interactive conference which provided information and inspiration in 3 key areas. It was recorded on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otJZ1utgbG8.
These are 3 essential areas important to the health of our community and to the success of community gardening.
HEALTH - presenters will inform on the impact of community gardening/food systems on the health of our community:
- Dr. Ayesha Johnson, Hillsborough County Department of Health
- Monica Petrella, Hillsborough County Food System Coordinator
- Session 1: Health 9:00 to 10:30am -
- facilitator: Renee Wallace, public health USF
- Karen Elizabeth, Plant City Commons Community Garden
- Ardell O'Neal, Mustard Seed Community Garden, Lutz
- Session 2: Resources 10:45am to 12:15pm -
- facilitator: Susan Webb, regional extension agent for UF/IFAS Extension, community/school gardens
POLICY - presenters will share key policy issues that impact community gardening
- Lena Young Green, lifelong community activist, legislative aide for local representatives for 20 years
- Michele Ogilvie, Executive Planner for the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization
- Del DeChant, professor of Religious Studies, USF; member of the Florida Food Policy Council executive board
- Session 3: Policy 2:00 to 3:30 pm. -
- facilitator: Toni Young, USF College of Global Sustainability
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.
2nd Annual Grow Gardens Conference, 2019
DEEP APPRECIATION FOR the garden leaders who participated in the sessions:
1st 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.
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.
