Tuesday, June 9, 2009

City Wide Community Garden Tour - You Are Invited

You are invited to a city-wide community garden tour

Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee and our partner gardens will host a free community garden tour on June 13, from 9am to 12pm.

Several of Nashville’s finest community gardens will be showcased on the tour and you are invited to visit the gardens and hear from gardeners about the impact of community gardens in Nashville. The tour is free, and participants may tour one or more garden sites– just drop in any time between 9am and 12pm.

The purpose of the tour is to promote community gardening in Nashville and raise awareness about a community gardening bill before Metro Council, sponsored by Councilman Jason Holleman (District 24). The community gardening bill defines community gardening as “a group of individuals growing and harvesting food crops and/or non-food, ornamental crops, such as flowers, for personal or group use, consumption, or donation.” Current law prohibits community gardening as a primary use of lots in residential districts, and it prohibits growing fruits, vegetables, or flowers for sale in any of Nashville’s urban services district.

The featured gardens are:

* C. E. McGruder Community Garden
2013 25th Ave N, 37208

* Chestnut Hill Community Garden
Johnson School, Corner of 1st Ave.
South & Chestnut, 37210

* EarthMatters/Carver Food Park
1101 Gale Lane, 37204

* Edgehill Community Gardens
14th Ave. S & Horton Ave. 37212

* Nashville Urban Harvest
1211 57th Ave North, 37209

* Old Hickory Village Community Garden
1105 Hadley Ave, Old Hickory 37138

* Shelby Park Discovery/ Community Garden
401 South 20th Street 37206

* VEGI (Vanderbilt Educational Garden Initiative)
225 Berry St. Nashville TN 37207

* Wedgewood Urban Gardens
613 Wedgewood Ave., 37203

Councilman Holleman states, “This event is a great opportunity to see, first hand, what is happening in the community gardens around our city. It will be well worth the visit.”

In case of light rain/sprinkle, the tour will continue as planned so bring an umbrella. Heavy rain and lightning will postpone the event so please see the Food Security Partners website for rescheduling information.

Detailed maps and contact information will be available after June 10th at www.foodsecuritypartners.org.

Cassi Johnson 615-438-4387
Teresa Campbell 805-909-8215
Cassi Johnson, MS
Director, Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee
Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies
1207 18th Ave South
Nashville, TN 37212
615-322-5638

www.foodsecuritypartners.org

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