[Community_garden] Community garden moved to new site - Florida, USA

[Don Boekelheide]

Herald-Tribune
Sarasota, Florida, USA

Feb 17.07

Seed planted for new garden site

By CAROL E. LEE

SARASOTA -- The rows of turnips, broccoli, cabbage and
strawberries harvested in the Rosemary Community
Garden for almost 12 years will take new root in the
soil of a city park.

For gardeners, the new location has soothed the sting
from city commissioners' decision to pave over the
vegetation and erect affordable housing. They
anticipate that opportunities for teaching and
community outreach will sprout from their new turf.

"We're really hopeful that we can turn a bad situation
into a good situation," said Gail Harvey, who helps
manage the garden.

Eleven gardeners and the city's Neighborhood
Partnership Office settled on land in Orange Avenue
Park.

At North Orange Avenue and 18th Street, it is about a
mile from the current 280-by-104-foot garden on
Boulevard of the Arts. The site met gardeners'
stipulations: a comparably sized piece of land with
good soil, enough sunlight and a community nearby,
close to the current location.

They also sought to avoid being forced to move again.

"One advantage is it's a park, so it wouldn't be
developed," said gardener Mike Holsinger. But some of
them noted some potential problems. Crops could
compete with the land's oak trees for sunlight, he
said.

And Victor Rowe, who has planted collards, Brussels
sprouts, broccoli and peas in the community garden
since its inception, is skeptical about security.

"The thing I'm concerned about is nobody's there," he
said. "At night when people leave, they can just jump
over the fence and take what they want ... you're
going to do all that hard work, then you come back,
everything is pulled up and tools are missing."

The garden has been a source of community camaraderie
for over a decade. About 40 residents rely on the
garden for a retreat or to supplement the meals on
their dinner tables.

Commissioners voted in November to build affordable
housing on the land that was slated for development.
After gardeners protested the move, which was made
without their input, commissioners promised to find a
new location for the garden.

The four-acre park borders a senior center and is
encircled by homes, leading to talk among gardeners of
holding classes on composting or organic vegetable
gardening or horticulture therapy for seniors.

"I have always wanted to see that garden as a teaching
garden, as a demonstration garden where people can
come and learn about things we do," said Barbara
Harris, who helps manage the garden.

"I'm sure that with us having the ability to design
the garden from the beginning to actually moving in,
that we can fit in a lot of things that we otherwise
would not have."

Designers will carve out a swath of the park's
northeast quadrant, behind basketball courts and a
playground, for the garden. Once all parties agree on
a blueprint, the plans will go through the city's
approval process and funding will be allocated, said
Michael Raposa, director of the Neighborhood
Partnership Office.

Gardeners are hoping not to miss a season in the
transition. They would like to dig into the new
location in time for fall seedings, which begin in
late summer.

carol.lee at heraldtribune.com
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070217/NEWS/702170395
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