Community garden takes root as its value grows

Last modified 4/22/2008 - 12:48 pm
Originally created 042308
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Neptune Beach approved one across from Jarboe Park and gardeners can rent lots.

By DREW DIXON, Shorelines

NEPTUNE BEACH - A community garden that will let Beaches residents grow their own vegetables is taking root on a city-owned lot near Jarboe Park.

The Neptune Beach City Council recently approved the community garden concept, which is tentatively set for a 2,000-to-3,000-square-foot plot on Fifth Street, across the street from Jarboe Park, near the city's water treatment plant.

The city, a nonprofit group and the Duval County Extension Service will oversee the garden, said City Manager Jim Jarboe.

"It will be fenced off," he said, adding that the project may pose some challenges. "There are always some concerns and you don't want to take up recreational space, although [gardening] is recreational."

Gardeners will be assigned lots to rent through an application process, Jarboe said. The garden, which could be running by September, will cost the city nothing other than some administrative work and the contribution of the land.

While Neptune Beach residents would likely have the first right to garden assignments, it will be open to all Beaches residents, Jarboe said.

He said he hopes the Neptune Beach community garden follows the example of about a half-dozen other community gardens in Duval County.

Gretchen Ferrell of Jacksonville Beach just started a nonprofit group, Beaches Local Food Network, which will be involved in overseeing the Neptune Beach garden. The network runs the Beaches Green Market in Beach Plaza City Center on Beach Boulevard in front of Twisted Sisters every Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. That market is moving to Jarboe Park in Neptune Beach by May 17, she said.

Ferrell said the value of a community garden can't be overstated.

"I think it's of extreme importance to people to reconnect to food and where and how it's being grown. "We're getting to an age of industrial agriculture where the majority of our food is coming from at least 1,500 miles away. It would allow people to see how food is grown and learn about seasonality and see what foods are grown and when they're in season."

In an increasingly urban area like Duval County, community gardens have been invaluable to residents who may not have a way to garden at their homes, Ferrell said.

"They've been a source for people who don't have gardens or have shady yards," she said.

Applications to rent plots in the garden will likely be accepted in July, Ferrell said, and there will be a lottery system to determine who may use the 24 plots.

About 25 percent of the plots will be for Neptune Beach residents. The rest will be open to applicants outside the city.

Participants will have to tend the soil regularly, and anyone who lets their garden slip into decay will have the privilege revoked, Jarboe said.

Ferrell said her organization will hold a meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesday at Fletcher High School to discuss the community garden concept. While the meeting will take place at night, the time has not yet been set.

Applications for plot assignments will not be accepted or distributed that night, she said.

"This meeting isn't for plot renters, just for people wanting to get the garden growing such as groundbreaking and fund-raising," Ferrell said. "The more we raise, the more programs we can have."

For more information on the community garden, e-mail Gretchen Ferrell at beachesgreenmarket@yahoo.com.

Drew Dixon can also be reached at (904) 249-4947, ext. 6313