Community Garden
The City of Gainesville has a Community Gardens program offered through its Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department. The mission of the program is to assist neighborhoods with the creation, operation, and maintenance of these gardens, to improve public nutrition and the neighborhood environment, to increase opportunities for healthful outdoor recreation, practical education, and positive social interaction, and to build community self-reliance and sustainability. In addition, community gardens provide a great recreational and educational opportunity for kids and teenagers.
NE 31st Avenue Organic Community Garden
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The NE 31st Avenue Organic Community Garden was formed in April 2007 to provide the community a place to plant fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers. The soil is sandy, but alkaline (pH of about 7.5). It has a fairly high water table because of the wetlands just north of the park. We have a partnership with the Gainesville Edible Plant Project that provides us with planting material, as well as occasional surplus seed donations from Seeds of Change. We are a member of the American Community Gardening Association.
Garden Plots
The garden is located at NE 31st Avenue park, between NE 15th Street and Waldo Road. The area is is fenced. Free water is provided by the City of Gainesville. Standard 20′ x 4′ plots are available for free on a first come, first served basis, with preference given to residents and organizations located in the Highland Court Manor and Carol Estates neighborhoods.
Get Involved
Donations of plants and seeds are always appreciated. We also need help creating garden artwork and decorating our chain link fence. Sculptures, scarecrows, whirligigs, and benches are also on our wish list.
Volunteers are needed throughout the year to improve the quality of the community garden. Projects include gardening, advising, clean-up, and path maintenance. Schedules are flexible from Monday through Saturday. Most projects last about two hours. Volunteers should dress appropriately for current weather conditions and wear closed-toed shoes.
If you are interested in getting involved, please call (352) 373-7314 or send an email to garden@meaningfulpursuit.com for more information.
In The News
The garden was featured in two articles printed in the Gainesville Sun in July 2008. Links to each follow: