Urban Jacksonville

The Springfield Community Garden #2!! I think it would be great to have two spaces used for something awesome like a community garden...and the people that dont mind borrowing or bringing their own water should come back to the original spot...I sure dont mind. On top of that, the area hasnt been touched in probably a year if not more and it has become a place for vagrants to get drunk and use hard drugs and who knows what else...using up all the places that have potential like this location will clean up our community and/or make it a safe or more positive environment for everyone because there will be less places for people to use in that manner (for negative/non-progressive ways). Another question, why take eveything from that garden and move it to the new clean slate property when it would be twice as much work to get the weeds out of the plots then the dirt then actually move it to the new location when you could just pull the weeds and plant new things...?

Zoen, I agree 100%. The more gardens the better. There is a community garden on 8th Street for The Bridge and there is one on the Eastside too, created by Fresh Ministries.

Howdy!
I just wanted to add that the Springfield Daisy Girl Scout Troop #1225 is most appreciative to Michele for taking 2 Saturdays to instruct 9 girls and their parents on the benefits of utilizing the community garden. On March 14th, the troop showed up with parents in tow and planted a variety of veggies at the Main St locale. A big big thank you to Michele for sharing this experience with us!!
Also, she informed us the addition of a second community garden going in on Laura St. This news brought cheers from the families, many of whom live on Laura St. I am quite ecstatic about this second garden to the point that I have talked it up amongst friends in Springfield and have "pre-sold" (in a manner of speaking) 5 plots for the Laura St. garden. I will send this info to Amanda.
Basically, thank you all again for the hard work you have done to make these gardens happen, and please know that there is a lot of community interest and support.

like i said before you might want to ask christy at the pearl if there is anything she can do to help. she might offer a hose. you shouldn't be scared to talk to her. for those that are unaware she does own that land and likes having you there.

Maybe the first garden, without the water, could be turned into a cool cactus/succulent garden. That could be nice.

Exactly. Well said Jennifer.

haha! That news blurb is awesome. I'm so happy the little garden is all full and has been used for years. It has fulfilled its potential, for sure, and possibly even some extra, fictitious potential. It's one thing when reporters make up negative nonsense. What do you do when they make up really really positive nonsense? Answer: shake head and smile.

Michele, dont take it personally. Ryan asked around about who to talk to, and was basically only able to get together a little bit of info for the story, and use what he had. Its a nice story, and 99.9% of the people who live in Jacksonville dont know Springfield garden person A from person B. What they do know is that we are blessed to have an active and lively community.

Wow. I'm really blown away at what hogwash that was. And really disappointed.

Way to give credit where credit is due.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=133686&catid=3

Story on First Coast News at 5:30

lol. you know I'd only consult a professional.

That would be great! Thanks for your time. After I "dug up" the meer box, the pipe had been flowing steady for years!!!! They fixed that, maybe they'll return the favor.

I've tendered a request to some JEA folks regarding whether something can be done to offset the irrigation meter cost. No promises, but perhaps something can be worked out. It might take awhile to get an answer.

Thanks for the props Shaan. Feel free to step across the street anytime to "discuss." I'll even give you some free foreclosure/bankruptcy advice. I'll be around all weekend, so come on over neighbor.

you guys could all learn plenty from Mr Howle. I live across the street from him and am always amazed with the quality of his gardening skills.

Jennifer is familiar with the JEA issue at the Main St site. If we could figure that out, it would be great to have both sites with water easily accessible. I am at the garden after work, so the auto place is usually closed by the time I get over.

Peter, send me your info and I will get you on the list.

Thanks Michael - that tiller may come in hand after the beds are built - which we are going with raised beds, maybe some areas will be direct ground.

JEA could care less about a garden and is charging $542 for an irrigation meter for the Laura site.

Not sure if the new location is going to be raised beds, but if not, I have a huge tiller and also a mechanical mule (plows rows) that I will lend to someone who promises to not chop off their toes. I also have a utility trailer for "zoo poo" if the site needs additional organic material.

My suggestion would be to design a drip irrigation system for the Laura St. garden. I imagine it would conserve a considerable amount of water. It also makes it easier, which should increase participation and crop yield.

Regarding the Main Street location, it sure seems like JEA could easily run a service lateral to the site. It would be a good gesture to do this for free. What is the official word from JEA on this option?

Peter if you want a plot now, you can have one at the Main St location because there are empty ones available. If you throw your seeds in the bed today you'll have veggies to tend to during the late spring and summer. No requirements, no money, just have to volunteer your time to beautify the rest of the property.

The other site on Laura will not be completed for AT LEAST a couple of months, hopefully in time for the summer and fall seasons. Submit your info to Amanda. Like Ray stated, there will be a fee later down the road when everything is ready.

It wouldn't be all that hard (listen to me talk, after months, no, more than a year of not doing it!), to set up rainwater capture again. Last year someone stole our barrels. They were, honestly, the last thing I thought would walk. But, for that to work you need it to rain when you want it, of course. Then again, coordinating with the nice folks at Jax Car Sales to use their hose is not too hard. I imagine the masonic lodge would let folks run a hose over, or even the repair shop guys right up the alley. Again...for some reason I never did any of this, so I'm not faulting anyone else for not thinking of it.

I would say, with high confidence, that there is no way in hell anyone would move the beds we built (and filled, lovingly, shovel by shovel, with awesome zoo doo!). It would be excellent if the community sees fit to keep using the original site.

It's even better to have two gardens. Springfield, you're so lucky! Or rather, you're so full of awesome, hard-working folks, and definitely some gardenmagick.

Love from the farm.

Amanda is collecting names for now (710-5702, amanda@intownjacksonville.com).

Right now - need volunteers who want a plot to pitch in some time and effort.

There will be a small monthly or annual fee just because of water, tools, fertilizer, etc. Shouldn't be much though.

What are the requirements to get a plot?

Thanks for all the clarifications everyone!

This is just the coolest thing that you guys have going. I actually tried to swipe your idea for my little neighborhood for a vacant spot that we had, but I couldn't get buy in right away. I'll have to keep at it.

I think it has to do with a JEA line actually being there and the cost to have one put in and run up to the garden. The rain barrels were great, but never collected much water, we were filling them with a hose that the neighbors on the north were kind enough to let us use. Again, the Main St. locale isnt going to be abandoned - those who want to retain their plots there can, but we can expand over to Laura and attract more members with the water access. + a 5 year signed lease means for sure stability - Main Street is prime land and Springfield is growing like crazy

i talked to christy earlier and she said she loves that you guys are there. she likes how green it looks. you might be able to just explain to her about the water issue and work something out.

The garden on Main was a great place to jump start the idea of the garden that has been floating around Springfield forever. The new site isn't an affront to the original spot - it is an expansion. The new site will be able to host MORE plots and have water access, which is why alot of people abandoned their plots in the spot on Main. Expanding and growing is what gardening is all about. The additional site is a good thing and shows that the community at large, not just the Springfield community, is excited and wants to see this thing happen. I still tend my plot too Michele, and am proud to say that everything that went into my body on Monday cam from my plot.

I wish someone would have contacted me before you posted this. Amanda, Ray, and I have been discussing the plans for another location and they met Mary from the UF extention office on Saturday. An "additional location" is being donated by the owner, who will actively participate in this project. I do not plan on "moving the garden." This new piece of property will just have more to offer than the current site, with new families and individuals involved from the neighborhood. I still tend to my vegetables on a weekly basis, and the only reason there has not been sufficient progress is because lack of funds and participation by the gardeners who signed up last fall. Right now I am waiting to hear back from the organization that will be funding both the new location and the current site, as well as additional future projects in other neighborhoods. Water is an issue on the Main St property, but hopefully when all the legal paperwork and funding is processed we can see about changing that. Jennifer, Phillip, and the other volunteers worked too damn hard to make it into what it is, and I do not plan on abandoning it. Just because it is not good enough for some of the past members who dropped out, does not mean it isn't good enough for the rest of us.

I have neglected to write in my Green Jax blog for the past couple of months, so in part, the information you are present with is limited regarding any community garden projects that I am affiliated with; my apologizes. On another note, if anyone is interested in maintaining a plot and volunteering your time to the Main St site, please contact me. We have a number of unused and unfinished beds that need love!

as far as i know the garden was offered to phillip and jennifer by christy from the pearl because she heard they were looking for a spot to start a community garden. i believe in the past they borrowed water from the pearl but also collected rain water. as far as i know christy hasn't mention needing the land and garden is still there for use. i don't know if its right to say your moving the springfield community garden cause it's still going to be there, i'm sure there are people that will be happy to use it. you might say your starting a new one somewhere else.

That's great that the new garden is going to have easy access to water and actually be under a lease.

It's sad to see it move though. The new lot looks like a great spot (It actually has grass!). But, in my opinion, I thought the whole point of the garden was to clean up an area that was basically a landfill. Phil, Jennifer, and others picked a great location that showcased our areas motivation to move Springfield into the right direction. Riding down Main St. and seeing the garden and the BBB complex is such a great feeling.

Do you know what's going to happen to the original garden? I'll be glad to lend a hand to maintain it.