News from the Coalition 
of Community Gardens - Tampa Bay
2017
This has been an exciting year. Taking some concrete steps toward accomplishing our goals.
Celebrating the Harvest Award for our sister garden, Mustard Seed Community Garden.
Celebrating the opening of the Seffner CommUNITY Garden.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR COALITION
The Coalition of Community Gardens - Tampa Bay was the result of a brainstorming session in August, 2015. Representatives of many Hillsborough County community gardens and allied professionals were present. At the next planning meeting, April 2016, we drafted the mission and goals. We have steadily been working to accomplish those goals.
  • Organized quarterly meetings, visiting each other's gardens
  • established a logo
  • started a website
  • Participated at EcoFest
  • Participated in Hillsborough County Neighborhood Conference
  • Participated in Sustany Buzz
  • Article in Times in August
  • Created a brochure
  • Made presentations to neighborhood groups
  • Collaborating with university partners to expand the field of knowledge; UF research and USF research
  • encouraging Youth Gardening opportunities
  • connecting with government agencies to streamline process
  • connecting with allied organizations to support existing gardens
  • collaborated with the Sustany Foundation to establish a source of funds to aid groups in starting a new garden or enhance an existing one
  • begun planning for a spring conference, March 30, 31, 2018
  • you can read all the goals we discussed
Original members:
Plant City Commons
Seeds of Faith
Seminole Heights
Tampa Eden Project
Tampa Heights
Temple Terrace,
Temple T. Farm 2 Sch
University Area
Extension Agents
Hillsborough
Polk County
David Whitwam
Rebecca Blanco

Joined later::
Bartlett Park
Euclid Heights
Hope
Lakewood Ranch
Mustard Seed
Oldsmar Organic
Robles Village
Sulphur Springs
Sustainable Living P
Tampa Bay
VISTA Gardens
Ybor Street

Newly established garden:
Seffner CommUNITY

Gardens in Planning :
Northside T Hts
22nd Street

Quarterly meeting is Thursday, January 18, 2018. 
5:30 for garden tour
-meeting to follow-

Seeds of Faith Community Garden
Brandon Bay Life Church
1017 N Kingsway Rd. Brandon

 
The Coalition of Community Gardens will have a booth at the Florida State Fair!

We have been offered an opportunity to share information on community gardening at a booth at the state fair. - what a great opportunity!

Who wants to help me design our booth? We have our banner....what about a model of a community garden with small plants representing veggies,.a basket of veggies, a poster? a theme? whoa..... we are offered a $250 stipend to create our booth. I create stuff for nothing all the time - no telling what we can do with actual money...lol.
INTERESTED? let me know asap.

THE STATE FAIR WANTS YOUR PLANTS
The Horticulture section still needs entries. You can enter up to 10 plants by sending in the form - MUST BE IN BY JAN.5TH.
Go to http://d2w7gersd1ix5b.cloudfront.net/files.ashx?t=fg&f=2017_Horticulture_Handbook_REV3.pdf&rid=FloridaStateFair.

The plants are to be brought in on February 3rd. Exhibited 2/9 - 2/20. Pick up your plant(s) on Feb. 21st. There is prize money offered...check it out!
More information to follow on the topic of biodigesters in community gardens.....
SHOUT OUT FOR COALITION MEMBER, TRAVIS MALLOY, ON STARTING THE MEACHAM URBAN FARM.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT FRACKING IN FLORIDA?
Keep your eye on the legislation banning fracking. SB462, filed by Hillsborough Sen. Dana Young and HB237, filed by Kathleen Peters, Pinellas. These legislators have stuck their necks out to preserve our fragile Florida environment. You can go to myflorida.com CLICK to find your legislator and let them know you support banning fracking, especially if your legislator is on the Appropriations and/or Environmental Preservation committees.

SHOUT OUT TO SEN. DANA YOUNG AND REP. KATHLEEN PETERS !!
Coalition of Community Gardens of Tampa Bay

www.coalitionofcommunitygardens.weebly.com