Garden With Children, Families, Neighbors and Friends

Sixty people came out on Saturday for the Community Gardening Education Event at Muskogee Public Library.

Participants represented churches, neighborhoods, communities, schools and civic groups. All are interested in knowing how they can pitch in. Whether growing food strictly for consumption or to involve children in the wonders of knowing where their food comes from, each is passionate about getting started.

Everyone indicated an interest in sharing part of what they grow.

Photo: Bruce Edwards

Keynote speaker, Bruce Edwards from Urban Harvest, Food Bank of Oklahoma City, has been instrumental in helping start as well as work with dozens of community gardens. His enthusiasm for growing gardens with groups is contagious.

The panel included: Rodney King - OSU Extension, Kim Walton - Walton Farms, Julie Gahn - Tahlequah community gardens, George Driever - OSU Extension

Gardeners had an opportunity to hear from each of these experienced gardeners and ask gardening questions. Their topics were soil health, weed control, irrigation, insect and plant disease control.

Photo: Dr. J. Baker
Dr. Baker is the medical advisor to the project as well as an enthusiastic cheerleader. His wife, Cindy is active on the Wellness Committee.

Photo: Doug Walton

Doug Walton, Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Muskogee Farmer's Market and Waltons Farm, was the right person to talk to members of the group who wanted to know more about selling what they grow.

Photo: Martha Alford

Alford, Health Educator for Muskogee County Health Department, is an enthusiastic and tireless worker for the Wellness Initiative.
Photo: Demalda Newsome

Edwards joined Newsome for the final presentation of the day. Newsome energized everyone in the room with her passion for gardening with families, children and neighborhoods.

Newsome Community Farms works with neighborhoods and families in North Tulsa. They now have a farmer's market in North Tulsa thanks to Newsome's group.

AND Thank you!

to these generous companies who contributed product samples to the goodie bags participants received.

Botanical Interests

Renees Garden Seeds

Daniels Plant Food

Osmocote

Territorial Seed

All in all the day was a great success. I predict this will lead to several community gardens in the Muskogee area as well as more workshops to help gardeners learn to be more successful.