Dear Apollo Beach Community Forest Garden members,
After our Open House event last week many new community members have rented plots and become part of the exciting endeavor of the AB Community Garden. Thank you!
We have some general information for you.
Please visit the Community Garden Forum on the Club’s website for updates and volunteer tasks as well as useful information about the Community Garden. We recently posted about places to buy organic vegetable starts and seeds as well as local nurseries to visit.
Please follow the Apollo Beach Garden Club Facebook Page for events, meetings and more, especially if you recently became a member of the Club, too!
Please join the Apollo Beach Community Forest Garden Facebook Group if you are part of this social media platform. This is a group for all Community Garden members to share what they are growing, offer seeds, ask for advice and document their experience. Please remember, even though the community garden was created by the Apollo Beach Garden Club it is its own entity and works through the engagement of its members. Any communication with the Club should happen through the Community Garden Coordinator, at the moment this position is taken by Raleigh Barnes. We are currently looking for an additional moderator for this Facebook group, if you would like to take up this position please write a direct email to the Community Garden Coordinator.
If you do not have Facebook don’t worry important information from the Community Garden Coordinator or the Apollo Beach Garden Club Board is always shared by email, too.
Please remember to log your volunteer hours in the Volunteer Log. The Coordinator has created this page to keep track of how many volunteer hours have been invested in the construction and creation of the Apollo Beach Community Forest Garden. This will help our organization demonstrate our community engagement and effort. This tool will also allow you to show how you have contributed with community service inside the garden, which you agreed with when signing the raised bed lease agreement.
If you are interested in making any additions to the food forest in the Community Garden we ask that you please write a concise email directly to the Community Garden Coordinator Raleigh Barnes apollobeachgardenclub@gmail.com and explain:
– Where you would like to locate the plant
– What kind of plant it is
– Where has it come from
– Which are its growing conditions and care
– A brief explanation of why you would like to share this plant with the community
– Any remarks or notes you feel are necessary
Only with this information will the Coordinator be able to approve your addition. The Club and Community Forest Garden have to meet certain guidelines as well as plans previously approved by Hillsborough County who is partnering in the creation of the AB Community Forest Garden. The Coordinator’s task amongst others is to ensure that any addition to the food forest or community garden will be successful and not harm anyone or inconvenience fellow members. The Coordinator will also discuss your proposal with the Apollo Beach Garden Club Board to ensure it is in everyone’s best interest. Similarly if there are any improvements you feel can be made in the garden please communicate these to the Coordinator. As we are a Community Garden we envision that members will take initiative and take action. Finally, any addition made to the Community Forest Garden outside of your own rented bed is to be enjoyed by everyone as a community planting.