I waited at least 7 years but I might get a patch of community garden near my house, with some space to store the tools. It's Christmas in March!
I waited at least 7 years but I might get a patch of community garden near my house, with some space to store the tools. It's Christmas in March!
#MiddletownCT residents rally to save 25-year-old #CommunityGarden from becoming a development
Story by Cassandra Day, March 12, 2025
"About two dozen people are encouraging the city to purchase the North End Ferry Street community garden as an alternative to the property owner selling it for development.
The garden, first established in 1999, has not only been a place for people to learn to grow and maintain a plot, but offers educational opportunities for residents, including youth.
"A number of people spoke out during a recent Economic Development Committee meeting about its vital importance to this 'underserved' area of Middletown. Fifteen people emailed the city on the matter, all signing their names to the same letter appealing to the committee.
"The #FerryStreetGarden has 'undergone several periods of disinvestment in the last few years,' the letter said, and now faces the 'ultimate threat of impending development.'
"The Chrysalis Center Real Estate Corp., which owns the land, has received offers from entities to purchase the plot, but nothing in writing, according to CEO Sharon Castelli.
"She is willing to negotiate a price with the city so residents can use the property, Castelli added.
"'We are very community-minded and have housing in the area, so having a place for people to grow vegetables would be a great use,' she said.
"The city would need about $50,000 to buy the land, the letter said, and there is an opportunity to apply for a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Urban Green and Community Garden grant for the project.
"Wesleyan University student Rowan Roudebush, who created a short video about the garden, has maintained a plot there for about a year.
"'Kids have been learning to grow food and have been building community through that garden for decades,' said Roudebush, who spoke about the North End being considered a '#FoodDesert.'"
"'It's in an area where, if you don't have access to a car, it's near impossible to get affordable groceries,' they added."
Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/middletown-residents-rally-to-save-25-year-old-community-garden-from-becoming-a-development/ar-AA1AUgaf
#CommunityGardens #Development #FoodSecurity #FoodSovereignty #Connecticut
With less funding and more hunger, a #DentonTX #CommunityGarden still wants to grow and feed more
By Lucinda Breeding-Gonzales Staff Writer Mar 14, 2025
"Friends of Shiloh Field Community Garden always plans to harvest more crops for its local partner #FoodPantries and #HomelessShelters. This year, the community garden’s board chair said the volunteer-run farm expects more people to need the food they grow.
"'Every year we try to outdo ourselves,' said Christina Proctor, the chair of the board for Friends of Shiloh Garden, the nonprofit that operates the community garden. 'We always anticipate making more than we did the last year. Talking to the #FoodBanks and they tell us every year that we have increased the number of requests for food for us. Ever since 2020, it just keeps going up.'
"Food banks across the country saw both hunger and food insecurity spike when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered businesses and closed offices, shedding workers and leaving families without paychecks. Inflation and rising costs have kept some families strapped and struggling to feed their families. And as North Texas has grown, problems such as hunger, homelessness and food insecurity have grown with it.
"The immediate future for hungry Texans of all ages looks grim. But recent cuts are affecting children greatly. The School Nutrition Association reported Monday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture [#USDA] announced it would cut the $660 million #LocalFoodForSchools program for 2025.
"Politico, citing a spokesperson for the USDA, reported that the department also cut the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program. The program would have funded about $500 million this year to support food banks.
"For the second year in a row, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission opted not to participate in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer [#EBT] program, which would have paid $120 per eligible child for families already receiving food benefits through the summer months.
"The program is meant to fill the gap left when public schools are on summer break, and children who qualify for free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch are vulnerable to greater food insecurity. The commission opted out of the program when the state Legislature didn’t move to allocate the money needed to get the program up and running on Monday.
"Denton residents learned this week that Lovepacs Denton, a nonprofit that gives food to Denton ISD students to get them through school breaks and long weekends, will close after the school year ends in May.
"#Austerity is impacting state and local assistance services all at once. Celia Cole, the CEO of Feeding Texas, said that cuts to programs like this not only put more Texans at risk for hunger, but they also reduce stimulus spending that benefits the state’s farms. Feeding Texas is a network of 20 food banks that feed hungry Texans and advocates for policies that prevent hunger. Cole said the Summer EBT funding could have fed Texas children and teenagers last year.
"'The first opportunity that Texas had to run the program would have been in summer of 2024, and we missed out on it because, I think really more than anything, was that Texas Health and Human Services Commission ... had so much else on their plate with #Medicaid unwinding,' Cole said. 'They were facing really serious backlogs and getting people enrolled in Medicaid.'
"Then, as the deadline for summer of 2025 got nearer, Cole said, it became clear that the commission would need money from the state to administer the program. Monday was the deadline for the Legislature to allocate the funds. Cole said programs like Feeding Texas will have to stretch their resources and be strategic with funding and food.
"For Denton nonprofits, leaders are preparing to do the same. The Friends of Shiloh Garden is keeping close tabs on costs. Proctor said seeds aren’t as costly as donors might think, but over the last two summers, water costs have soared.
"'Our biggest expense in production is water,' she said. 'We’ve been very blessed that Denton Bible Church has been helping us subsidize our water bill by giving us some money to help offset that cost.'
"In 2023, when Denton saw about 55 days of triple-digit heat, Proctor said water costs were almost too much.
"'That was the year we almost had too close because it was just so expensive,' Proctor said. 'Our water bills that year were just ridiculous.'
"The operation installed drip irrigation and weed cloth to cover the drip lines and saw savings. But the nonprofit is still looking to serve more people and give its partners more of what they want."
To support the community garden, www.shilohfield.com for donation and volunteer information.
How community gardens could help cut some costs amid looming tariffs
By Emily Schrad
Published: Mar. 10, 2025 at 6:17 PM EDT
#CedarRapidsIA (KCRG) - "And as the threat of tariffs looms, many are looking for ways to save money where they can.
"Many might think gardening is out of reach. But leaders at #CultivateHope’s #UrbanFarm in #CedarRapids said they’re seeing a growing interest in growing food. And a #CommunityGarden can be a cost-effective way to get started.
"From supply chain issues with the pandemic, to inflation and now tariff threats, Peggy Stover, Director of the Marketing Institute at the University of Iowa said there’s a variety of things that have caused grocery prices to soar over the past five years.
"'If tariffs were imposed, the average American family would expect to pay anywhere from $1600 to $2000 more a year out of their pocket because of high price increases,' said Stover.
"As many look for ways to cut costs, some are turning to gardening.
"While not everyone has the space for a large garden, Anyssa Ball, Cultivate Hope’s Urban Farm Program Manager says community gardens can be a great way to get your foot in the door of the gardening world."
Read more:
https://www.kcrg.com/2025/03/10/how-community-gardens-could-help-cut-some-costs-amid-looming-tariffs/
#Iowa #FoodSecurity #FoodSovereignty #CommunityGardening #CommunityGardens #SolarPunkSunday
#SpringfieldIL #CommunityGarden Seeks Applicants for 2025 Season
March 13, 2025 in Local News |
"The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) seeks individuals or families interested in starting their own garden to raise fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers in a community setting. The IDOA’s Community Garden is located on the infield of the #IllinoisStateFair Grandstand racetrack and features 200 garden plots. Of those plots, 100 are designated for organic gardening, and the remaining 100 plots are assigned for non-organic gardening. Each plot costs $20 and can be tilled for you for an additional charge. The Department will supply water and #compost free of charge. Those interested in participating in the 2025 growing season are encouraged to fill out a garden application on the IDOA website: agr.illinois.gov/consumers/communitygarden.html Completed applications and payments can be returned by mail or to the front desk of the IDOA at the John R. Block Building, Attention: Community Garden, 801 E. Sangamon Ave., Springfield, IL 62794. If you would like more information about this year’s Community Garden, visit the IDOA website or contact the Department at (217) 785-8300."
http://www.lawndalenews.com/2025/03/community-garden-seeks-applicants-for-2025-season/
#FoodSovereignty #FoodSecurity #BuildingCommunity #CommunityGardens #SolarPunkSunday #Illinois
#DuarteCA #CommunityGarden to be developed at #TzeitelParasCaracciPark
March 12, 2025
"Duarte residents will soon have a new space to grow fresh produce, connect with neighbors, and enjoy the outdoors. Last month, the Duarte City Council approved the development of the Duarte Community Garden at Tzeitel Paras-Caracci Park (2701 Royal Oaks Drive).
"'This project exemplifies our dedication to creating #sustainable, #accessible spaces for our residents,' said Mayor Cesar A. Garcia. 'This garden will not only enhance the beauty of our park but also provide a space where our community can come together, learn, and share in the joy of nature. I am excited to see this project grow and look forward to it becoming a vibrant part of our community.'
"The goal of the Duarte Community Garden is to increase #FoodSovereignty by creating garden plots for community members to grow healthy food, cultivate agricultural literacy with educational programs, gather community by creating a welcoming and accessible garden space, and perform ecosystem services by removing grass, installing a sustainable #DripIrrigation system, building a #NativeHabitatGarden, and collecting #compost.
"The garden will feature 20 plots and two #ADAAccessible raised beds, available for rent at $5 per month. Community members can plant edible (excluding smokable) plants and flowers for personal, noncommercial use. It will include a storage shed with garden tools, an irrigation system promoting sustainable practices, and ADA-accessible decomposed granite pathways.
"The garden will be run in partnership with Food Exploration and Discovery (#FoodEd), a nonprofit organization that collaborates with San Gabriel Valley communities to create edible education sites and provide programs on #ecosystem #stewardship, healthy living, #environmental innovation, and entrepreneurship.
"Food Ed’s educational model will support gardeners of all skill levels, providing supplies and plants for beginners while experienced gardeners can use their own resources. The garden will also offer picnic benches for community #gatherings and host educational programs on topics like #VegetableGardening, #composting, #DroughtTolerant landscaping, and #SoilHealth.
"As the lead on this grant project, Food Ed will be responsible for building the #DuarteCommunityGarden. This includes overseeing site construction, collecting infrastructure bids, contractor management, program management, community engagement and workshops/events, processing plot holder applications, plant and soil replenishment, above ground irrigation repairs, developing the garden’s webpage and branding and overall garden management through October of 2026.
"For more information on the Duarte Community Garden, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at (626) 357-7931."
Source:
https://heysocal.com/2025/03/12/duarte-community-garden-to-be-developed-at-tzeitel-paras-caracci-park/
#ThirdSpaces #SolarPunkSunday #CommunityGardens #FoodSecurity #BuildingCommunity #California #SolarPunk #Composting
Doing things!
Thank you so much to everyone helping to make this possible. We promise to save some tomatoes for ya.
#Composting program to provide #Everglades with soil for #CommunityGarden
by Martin Vassolo, March 12, 2025
"Your food scraps could be used to help support the Everglades through a new partnership between the village of #PinecrestFL and the #MiccosukeeTribe.
"Instead of dumping #FoodWaste into crowded #landfills, which produce #methane emissions, the #EvergladesEarthCycleProject will expand Pinecrest's residential composting program and deliver nutrient-rich soil to the #Miccosukee Tribe.
"Driving the news: The project, funded with a $400,000 federal grant and other contributions, calls for installing four new #CompostingBins in Pinecrest and three around #MiamiDade County District 7.
"The initial phase of the program will supply compost to the #SwampyMeadows #CommunityGarden, which grows vegetables just outside the Miccosukee Indian School.
"Another proposal that's been floated is adding new soil to the Everglades' tree islands, though that would need tribal approval, says the Rev. Houston R. Cypress of the #LoveTheEverglades Movement, a partner in the program.
"Cypress told reporters on an airboat ride through the Everglades last week that the tribe teaches 'the essence of being in harmony with nature is giving back to it.'
"'With the Everglades Earth Cycle Project, we're giving back clean and healthy soil; we're giving products that might eventually improve the water quality out here, but we're also giving directly back to local indigenous communities here,' he said.
"Pinecrest already has two free public composting bins, one at the Pinecrest Public Library and another between the Community Center and Pinecrest Gardens."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/composting-program-to-provide-everglades-with-soil-for-community-garden/ar-AA1AKQrp
#Composting #CommunityGardening #FoodSecurity #ReducingFoodWaste #SolarPunkSunday
#ScarboroughME #CommunityGarden
"The Scarborough Community Garden is addressing #hunger in our community by growing nourishing vegetables for neighbors who struggle to put healthy food on the table. Located in #ScarboroughMaine, we broke ground in the Fall of 2014 on our first garden located at St. Nicholas Episcopal Church. We began planting and harvesting in 2015. Two more gardens, one at Blue Point Congregational Church and one at Hillcrest Retirement Community, were soon established in 2017. All three gardens continue to grow an abundance of delicious produce for the #ScarboroughFoodPantry and our neighbors."
https://scarboroughcommunitygarden.weebly.com/
#Maine #FoodSecurity #BuildingCommunity #SolarPunkSunday #gardening #CommunityGarden
Cardboard sheet mulch - $0
A bunch of wood chips - (hopefully) $0
Bunch of seeds sitting around and at the library- $0
Ten yards of compost delivered - $415
This is our math right now. Help us reach our goal of $415 by going to the project page on Open Collective!
https://opencollective.com/cooperationdenton/projects/stony-garden
Went to the community garden with the kids to do some annual maintenance and help install some accessible raised gardens.
These are high enough that you can plant without stooping so low to the ground. It also allows wheelchair users to roll up to them and plant without having to get out of their chair.
open garden hours for March!
#CommunityGarden #Gardening #PNWgardening #PDX #Oregon
I just feel like sharing these three articles today in no particular order, for no reason.
https://www.404media.co/the-200-sites-an-ice-surveillance-contractor-is-monitoring/
If anyone is considering polypropylene landscaping fabric for their vegetable garden, here's a visual of what happens. After just one season it begins to disintegrate, and shreds will be blown onto neighboring plots where they'll continue to break down into ever smaller pieces of plastic. #garden #gardening #weeds #weeding #plastic #mulch #microplastics #CommunityGarden #VegetableGardening
OMG we are so excited! an autonomous event is going to be held in the foundseed lot!
This event is for anyone looking to garden-share. if you have a yard that you need help with, or if you want to garden, but don’t have a yard, come check it out!
there will be seed swaps, games, and help organizing tool shares and other community resources!
#pdx #portland #oregon #garden #communityGarden #seedSwap #toolLibrary
I got to present on decentralized garden leadership tonight for my local #CommunityGarden project, and it was extremely fun teaching people about #consensus models, do-ocracies, #discord , and why parties are important. Can't fucking wait for spring!