Healthy City Fall River coordinator Dr. David Weed led an informational meeting on community gardens on Thursday, September 18, 2008, in the Community Room of the Fall River Public Library to outline plans that the initiative has to support the development of community gardens throughout the City. Weed announced a series of educational sessions between October and March on soil testing, composting, bed preparation and seed selection. Sessions will also be held to assist groups in identifying available space and securing funding to pay for needed items. Any group of at least three to five committed people can build a community garden. They can be part of an organized group or can just be an informal group of friends, neighbors, or relatives. Organized groups that have started gardens include: civic associations, religious congregations, neighborhood centers, seniors groups, youth groups, women's clubs, men's clubs, occupational groups, businesses, schools and home-schools, food pantries, homeless shelters, apartments, and treatment centers. Community gardens can be built on public or private land, including parks, schools, utility easements, apartments, churches, or synagogues. Click here for the Herald News article. For further information, contact Dr. Weed at 508-324-2411. (Photos by Mike Ramos)
 

(Top row, left) Children in Balance Project Manager Marcia Picard signs in at the informational session. (Top row, center) Trustees of Reservations Educational Director Linton Harrington introduces himself to the group. (Top row, right) Dr. Weed walks the group through a PowerPoint describing the many advantages of community gardens. (Middle row, left) Dawn Oliveira and Will Kelif listen to the presentation. (Bottom row, left) Fall River Housing Authority Youth Coordinator Joseph DaSilva and Southcoast Hospital Group Cardiovascular Prevention Program Dietitian Amanda Szot listen as Marcia Picard describes some ideas for getting school children involved. (Bottom row, center)  Bristol Community College professor Nancy Lee Wood, Linton Harrington and Fall River Street Tree Planting Program coordinator Mary Ann Wordell listen as Fall River YouthBuild program director Terry Moran tells the group the YouthBuild members would be available to construct raised beds for gardens. (Bottom row, right) Kathleen and Derek Christianson from Brix Farm in Dartmouth listens as Dr. Weed describes the upcoming educational presentations, starting with one on soils that Derek will give in October.