News from the Coalition 
of Community Gardens - Tampa Bay
May, 2018
This has been an eventful few months. Key accomplishment is our first local conference on community Gardening, Grow Community Gardens - Tampa Bay.

We continue to work to achieve the goals of the Healthiest Cities/Counties Challenge and are on the verge of seeing 2 (and possibly 3) new gardens established in food desert areas in Tampa.
Grow Community Gardens - Tampa Bay
Grow Community Gardens - Tampa Bay

Sponsored by Garden Steps and the Sustany Foundation, the first-ever local conference which focused on bringing together the accumulated wisdom of regional gardeners on all aspects of health, wellness, and sustainable living. 
It was a day chock-full of networking opportunities, educational programs, information gathering and a wonderful way to emphasize the impact of community gardening on the health of the community.

Thanks to Dr. Joseph Dorsey, USF Patel College of Global Sustainability, for being our keynote speaker. We look forward to next year...
SAVE THE DATE: April 5, 6, 2019 .

We can start planning next year's conference now.

We could put out a request for proposals and see what we get.

OR we could ask for certain members to make a presentation...

OR we could determine the topics that we want to feature, such as:
  1. Starting a fresh market
  2. Urban Agriculture
  3. Institutional partners such as Food Policy Council
  4. Presentations from a few community gardens...explain different models
  5. Partner with IFAS to present Starting a community garden 101
  6. Please suggest someone and their topic....
  7. or just suggest the topic.

I would seriously like your feedback here....
Coalition members:
HILLSBOROUGH
Hope at Bible Truth
Mustard Seed, Lutz
Plant City Commons
Seeds of Faith
Seffner
Seminole Heights
Sulphur Springs
Sustainable Living P
Tampa Bay
Tampa Heights
Temple Terrace,
Robles Village
University Area
VISTA Gardens
Ybor Street
MANATEE
Lakewood Ranch
PASCO
Farmden
Friendly Farm & Fare
Grand Gardens
Habitat for Humanities
Watson Park
PINELLAS
Bartlett Park
Clearwater
Eco Village
Euclid Heights
Oldsmar Organic

Gardens in Planning :
East Tampa
Northside T Hts
University Area II

PARTNERS
Extension Agents, hILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, POLK.
David Whitwam,
Green Artery
Tem T. Farm 2 School
Keep T Bay Beautiful
Tampa Garden Club
City of Tampa
Hillsborough County
SUAC
Sustany Foundation, Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger, Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation,

Healthiest Cities/Counties Challenge: Garden Steps
Your Coalition and Garden Steps partners hosted a Pop Up Garden Event , for a few days in East Tampa. A second pop up garden will occur in a few weeks in the University Community area. Shout out to David Whitwam , Hope CG, T Hts CG, and Ybor Street Community Garden for their help.

We conclude this phase of the Garden Steps project with a report in August. We probably won't know if we will be funded for the next phase until October. Stay tuned.
The Coalition of Community Gardens had a booth at the Florida State Fair!


Promoting Community Gardening

The Coalition was also represented in:
  • Hillsborough County SWellness Fair in April at the Hillsborough County Center
  • Nielsen’s 1st Sustainable Gardening and Food Fair!  

Spring Quarterly Meeting
Thanks to Georgea Snyder for hosting our coalition meeting at the Sustainable Living Project, 918 W. Sligh Avenue, Tampa. Welcome to Amelia Maseda from New Port Richey community garden group, Great to see Cindy , Brandon Seeds of Faith; Lorena Sanchez ,Tampa Bay; Colleen Parker , Seminole Hts; Michele Ogilvie , MPO, Betty Jo Tompkins, Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation. A special shout out to Yvette Rouse , the Executive Director of Sweetwater Organic Community Farm.

SAVE THE DATE, PLEASE
Fall Quarterly meeting is Wednesday, October 17, 2018 in New Port Richey. 5:30 to 7:30

The Community Garden group in New Port Richey has a great history of success. We look forward to visiting and learning from them. Thanks for inviting us!

Our garden membership has expanded to include sister gardens in Pasco County as well as those in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee. We now have over 25 gardens who are members of the Coalition of Community Gardens - Tampa Bay. We have submitted the 501c3 paperwork.
 

Green Thumb NYC

Green Thumb NYC is the largest and one of the oldest community gardening programs in the nation. They are promoting their Open Garden Day NYC. They do this in Mid July. It might be something we would want to do in September to encourage new members. Your thoughts?



Clearwater Community Gardens
hosts its 4th annual Summer Brunch. Click here for more info. Tickets are $20. Join this fabulous celebration of 50 families gardening together in Clearwater.
August 19, Saturday, 11:00 to 2:00.
Coalition of Community Gardens of Tampa Bay

www.coalitionofcommunitygardens.weebly.com