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Welcome to Gainesville Giving Garden , a biotic community head non - profit farm , which reach to enable equitable memory access to calibre food and the benefit that come with sizeable feeding ! Located in Gainesville , Florida , this garden exemplifies what can be accomplished with brainchild , some hard work , a strong community spirit and a passion for humanity .
Meg Boria - Meyer grow up in Maine with parents who were zealous gardeners . Her Fatherhood purchase a hobby farm where Meg spent much of her time in her younger year .
The Gainesville Giving Garden was catalyzed during the pandemic . food for thought insecurity during COVID inspire Meg , who by this sentence had enough farming experience under her belt to get a community garden up and running .
Meg feel that food is the practice of medicine that fuel us and learn whether we succeed and whether our children succeed . The generational cycle of poorness can only end when there is in truth nutritious food available to everyone in adequate measure .
Early Days
Meg took some time and infinite during the pandemic to really remember through how to get this garden going . She proceed knocking on doors looking for empty lots in the area and come across a serviceman who owned an abandon parking muckle good in the centre of townspeople . He offered to let the property for one dollar , in essence donate the res publica to the garden . Formerly a site for crime and litter , this centrally located property show to be the perfect approachable fix for a community garden .
Once the Logos got out about the garden , connections with local businesses and nonprofit skyrocketed . The parking good deal was dig , and the mineral pitch polish off . Two articulated lorry - trucks dilute with topsoil were donate . A local composting company congeal up a discount program . The honest-to-god , forsake parking lot was ultimately demolish and turned into a turgid flourishing garden .
Sunday is Volunteer Day at the Giving Garden . Tasks are talk about and distributed to volunteers who range from 3 to 73 old age old . Meg says that in this college townsfolk , everyone from children to university students have help in the garden . By the end of the get season 50 volunteers were providing consistent men , take into account them to exceed their harvest expectations .
Leadership
Meg has a minor in non - profit leadership . She is resourceful and a strong believer in not reinvent the wheel and not realise effrontery about what is want . Partnering with other non - earnings is what makes this garden so successful .
A program called the Free Grocery Store delivers weekly groceries to those who identify as food insecure . The Gainesville Giving Garden and the Free Grocery Store are distribution mate , delivering fresh food to marginalize individuals on a weekly basis . The garden has also partner with other organizations , such as medical clinic and affordable wellness aid organization .
They also puzzle out with a local seed camber , Working Food , and nearby non-profit-making nursery , Grow Hub , for seeds and plants , although they still do buy some seeds and seedling . The majority of the garden ’s seeds are donated by Working Food . seeded player stewards come to the garden and savour control the plants grown from their seeds . This placement bolsters local seed reign – the crops do better because they ’re meant to rise here and are broadly speaking pest resistant . Meg says 90 % of their germ come from this local seed banking concern .
Meg mentions that her co - lead , Steve , was the driver of the project ’s pollinator gardens . He has a background in permaculture and his body of work there has pull in birds , insects and even snakes . Her other co - lead , Lauren , is a indorse Nutritionist and Professor of Human Nutrition , and has led the Giving Garden ’s Community Health first step , such as supply harvest time - relevant recipe cards and seasonal cooking demos to their wider audience .
Teaching Opportunities
Gainesville Giving Garden is a hub for education . horticulture experiences here empower marginalise and underserved community members , and those educational opportunities , in twist , increase the garden ’s food production . The garden is all about providing brisk organic food to anyone in need .
The Giving Garden sour with nonprofits that serve underprivileged mathematical group , such as Project YouthBuild and the Gainesville Opportunity Center ( GOC ) . Project YouthBuild students come up on a even basis to help and see while they ’re process . At - risk of exposure youth and other student learn about planting , mulching , soil and water retentiveness and all aspects of healthy gardening . Meanwhile , the GOC , which serve mentally and physically disabled folks , spend time at the Giving Garden on a regular base for watch and practicing teamwork in the garden bed . For exercise , members spent their last visit at the farm harvesting Lycopersicon esculentum and collards as they determine .
In plus , the garden has been supporting university student interne studying garden - related and nutrition subjects such as gardening and community of interests health .
residential area - led shop on gardening and well - being , sustainable living and pollinators are receptive to the public . A class on how to work lettuce , on beekeeping , and a blossom workshop are just some of the educational opportunity that have a connection with the garden .
The Harvest
Because of the mood in Gainesville , the garden is finished around mid - June and replace with covering fire crops . Last time of year ’s harvest resulted in an estimate 2,000 pound of donated vegetables !
Meg Boria - Meyer start with an idea that grew into a fertile and highly good boost to the Gainesville residential area . Take a look at theGainesville Giving Garden ’s websiteandFacebook pageto pick up more about this extraordinary task . The Gainesville Giving Garden welcomes donations , just as they welcome everyone in the biotic community who take and appreciate good for you solid food .
Every yr , Gardening recognise How awards $ 1,000 to 20 different , paw - picked garden project across the United States and Canada . If your community or school garden has a grow , unmet motive for more soil , seeds , fertiliser , building materials , or even just assist getting the word out about your program , we ’re quick and willing to help you meet those needs . As community of interests garden and school gardening platform spring up all over , we ’re felicitous to do our part to help . Learn more about our grant program here .
Interested in learning more about schoolhouse or residential area gardens ? chatter ourCommunity Gardening for Everyonepage today .
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