Anyone up for assisting teen mothers gardening aloe and tea?

http://www.childrensgardenproject.org/gardens_florencecrittenton.html

This is an amazing project that would be wonderful to volunteer at. Let's definitely keep each other posted about any such projects or events that we might be able to help out at and meet wonderful, like-minded folk in our community!

Columbus St Community Garden

Checked out the community garden on Columbus St today. Met Mike who is the caretaker. Talked to him about it. Went home with fresh collards.
This seems to be a pattern whenever people grow their own food. Generosity is simply passed on, from the soil to the grower.

Read the Post and Courier article (Nov. 29, 2009)

Children's Garden Project

The Charleston Area Children's Garden Project, led by Darlena Goodwin runs school vegetable gardens in local schools and institutions. They have over a dozen gardens across the Charleston area, from Johns Island to North Charleston. We look forward to meeting Darlena!

Online resources

The American Community Gardening Association has a truly useful set of guidebooks and manuals for starting and running community gardens:

http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/tools.php

Charleston ripe for community gardens

From the empty lots to the right of way, peninsular Charleston has a capacity to grow neighborhood-scale community gardens. What Lowcountry Community Garden seeks to do is to connect people together, share resources, and provide help for aspiring community gardeners.

Charleston Community Gardens Map

View Charleston Urban Gardens in a larger map

CofC for Urban Agriculture

CofC for Urban Agriculture is an on-campus organization for the promotion and implementation of urban agriculture throughout the Charleston community.

They've just started and are looking to partner with the community. Learn more on their website: http://www.urbanagriculture.clubs.cofc.edu/

Charleston Green Plan pushes for community gardens

The recently published Charleston Green Plan refers at length on the need for sustainable local food production "at all scales wherever possible".

More specifically, it lists as one of its recommendations:

"Support Gardens/Markets: The City should support creation of food-based gardens at schools, on rooftops, and in parks and abandoned lots where feasible."
(Source: Charleston Green Plan, p.81-82)

Read it for yourself (PDF doc):
http://www.charlestoncity.info/shared/docs/0/charlestongreenplanweb.pdf

July 2009 article on the Stewards of Hampton Park program

The City of Charleston Horticulture Department runs the Steward of Hampton Park volunteer program to assist in the production of all flowers for peninsular Charleston parks. The well-run program has many side benefits, from learning plant propagation from experts to being rewarded with free plants.

More info: http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/jul/19/cash_on_gardening_at_hampton_park89691/