Community Garden Workshops

The Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF), in hopes of inspiring community-based, not-for-profit organizations to initiate community garden programs locally, hosted two community gardens workshops on February 19 and 20 as part of its Think~Act~Be Healthy Communities initiative.

The events, which drew more than 50 participants, featured speakers Bobby Wilson, president of the Board of Directors of the American Community Garden Association , and Melissa Watford, Ed.M., Health Education Coordinator for FirstHealth in North Carolina.

WPHF also used the occasion to announce the availability of grant funding through its Think~Act~Be Healthy Communities initiative for not-for-profit organizations interested in starting community garden projects in Eatonville, Maitland, and Winter Park.
Here are downloadable resources from the
February 19 and 20, 2009 workshops:

Workshop Agenda

Participant List

Information and contact information for the workshop speakers

From the Vision to Planting—Melissa Watford’s presentation

First Garden

Atlanta Urban Gardening Program—Bobby Wilson’s presentation

Starting a Community Garden – American Community Gardening Association

Community Garden Handbook

Liability Waiver Form (sample from Ogelthorpe University)

American Community Gardening Association

The Garden Next Door—Drew Byrne and Joann Ruiz

Our Whole Community – Interfaith Council on Community Health and Wholeness

Additional Resources

Orange County - UF/IFAS Extension Education Center

Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide

City of Winter Park – Real Estate Asset Inventory (vacant land available for gardens). Contact Leif Bouffard, Project Manager,City of Winter Park-Parks and Recreation, 407-599-3223

Winter Park Health Foundation Approves Community Gardens Grants

Eight new community garden projects in Eatonville, Maitland and Winter Park have received grant funding totaling $153,107 from the Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF) as part of its Think~Act~Be Healthy Communities initiative.
A collaboration of the Orange County/ University of Florida IFAS Extension Service and Friends of Mead Garden who will receive $24,985 to develop a demonstration community garden to be used to teach experienced and new community garden groups about how to create and take care of community gardens.
The Town of Eatonville Community Garden Project will receive $25,000 for a collaborative effort including Hungerford Elementary School, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church and Eatonville Public Children’s Library to expand a Children’s Heritage Garden, add other gardens and provide community gardening educational events.
The Interfaith Council on Community Health was awarded $25,000 to build on the success of its existing community garden and develop a garden on the site of the Depugh Nursing Center in downtown Winter Park.
Winter Park Towers will receive $14,471 to develop a community garden with raised beds and potted plants to accommodate persons with disabilities, along with traditional garden beds.
Dommerich Elementary School will receive $17,400 to start a garden to be created in a central area on campus that would benefit both Dommerich Elementary and Maitland Middle School and create an interactive outdoor teaching environment that will integrate curriculum and the overall health objectives of exercise, recreation, and healthy eating habits.
Winter Park 9th Grade Center will receive $20,000 for a community garden project that will include a native plant garden, reading area and an onsite vegetable garden useful to all academic levels.
Brookshire Elementary will receive $15,135 to develop a community garden that includes raised, irrigated outside planting beds, hydroponic gardening system and worm composting bins.
Hungerford Elementary will receive $11,116 to establish a “Learning Community” garden that will be organic and consist of raised garden beds with help from students, parents and the volunteers from the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Organization.