community gardens nutriion at your fingertips

04/09/2304/09/23 LaToysa Scaife-Rooks, MPHLaToysa Scaife-Rooks, MPHCCBOH Health Promotion CoordinatorCCBOH Health Promotion Coordinator

Community GardensCommunity GardensNutrition At Your FingertipsNutrition At Your Fingertips

GPHA Annual MeetingGPHA Annual Meeting

Tuesday, April 12, 2011Tuesday, April 12, 2011


Have You Had Your Servings?Have You Had Your Servings? This is how many members of our This is how many members of our

community get their servings of fruits and community get their servings of fruits and vegetables.vegetables.


Why Aren’t We on the Why Aren’t We on the “Fresh Express?”“Fresh Express?”

Limited or no access Limited or no access

Lack of variety of fresh foodsLack of variety of fresh foods

Perception that =Perception that =


What’s Going on in Clayton What’s Going on in Clayton County..County..


What’s Going on in Clayton What’s Going on in Clayton County…County…


What’s Going on in Clayton What’s Going on in Clayton County..County..


Community GardeningCommunity Gardening

Community gardening programs provide Community gardening programs provide physical and social benefits to people and physical and social benefits to people and their surrounding neighborhoods.their surrounding neighborhoods.


How We Got StartedHow We Got Started

Funding for the community gardens was Funding for the community gardens was awarded through the Nutrition and awarded through the Nutrition and Physical Activity Demonstration ProjectPhysical Activity Demonstration Project


PurposePurpose Promote the nutritional, social, Promote the nutritional, social,

environmental, and physical benefits of environmental, and physical benefits of sustainable gardening.sustainable gardening.

Intended Outcome - A healthier Intended Outcome - A healthier community as a result of increased community as a result of increased physical activity and access to fresh physical activity and access to fresh produce.produce.


BenefitsBenefits HealthHealth

Provides access to fresh and nutritious foods (too few fruits and veggies is a Provides access to fresh and nutritious foods (too few fruits and veggies is a leading risk factor for premature death in Clayton County.)leading risk factor for premature death in Clayton County.)

Provides physical and mental health benefits through exercise and recreationProvides physical and mental health benefits through exercise and recreation

EconomicEconomic Reduces the burden on family food budgetsReduces the burden on family food budgets

CommunityCommunity Provides an avenue for social interactionProvides an avenue for social interaction Beautifies the neighborhoodBeautifies the neighborhood Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community developmentProvides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development

EnvironmentalEnvironmental Preserves green spacesPreserves green spaces Conserves resourcesConserves resources Makes use of natural resourcesMakes use of natural resources


Our ObjectiveOur Objective

To increase from zero to six, the number To increase from zero to six, the number of community gardens in Clayton County of community gardens in Clayton County by June 30, 2010.by June 30, 2010.

Actual Result: Actual Result: Six community gardens Six community gardens developed in year one.developed in year one.


Garden LocationsGarden Locations


Garden LocationsGarden Locations

Garden Site Locations:Garden Site Locations: Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center (community/multi-Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center (community/multi-

plot) - 4 plotsplot) - 4 plots Charles Drew High School (school- based) - 2 raised Charles Drew High School (school- based) - 2 raised

bedsbeds J. Charley Griswell Senior Center (Seniors) - 4 plotsJ. Charley Griswell Senior Center (Seniors) - 4 plots Youth Build-A-Garden (Faith-Based) - 8 plotsYouth Build-A-Garden (Faith-Based) - 8 plots Clayton County Board of Health (Demonstration Clayton County Board of Health (Demonstration

Garden) 6-raised bedsGarden) 6-raised beds Reynolds Nature Preserve/Flat Shoals Park Reynolds Nature Preserve/Flat Shoals Park

(community/multi-plot) – 10 plots(community/multi-plot) – 10 plots


PartnersPartners

Clayton County Extension ServiceClayton County Extension Service Clayton County Senior ServicesClayton County Senior Services Clayton County Parks and RecreationClayton County Parks and Recreation Local nurseriesLocal nurseries State Farmers MarketState Farmers Market


Process Process

Contracted with Extension ServiceContracted with Extension Service Scheduled a garden construction and Scheduled a garden construction and

planting day for each siteplanting day for each site Scheduled education classesScheduled education classes Conducted garden tours and site visitsConducted garden tours and site visits Harvested when appropriateHarvested when appropriate


Community GardensCommunity Gardens


Community Gardens (cont.)Community Gardens (cont.)


FindingsFindings 18 Master Gardeners participated in 18 Master Gardeners participated in

garden activitiesgarden activities

122 garden participants122 garden participants

Approximate yield of 800-1000 pounds Approximate yield of 800-1000 pounds of produceof produce


Lessons LearnedLessons Learned Each site should have been furnished with a Each site should have been furnished with a

scale to determine what was yielded at each scale to determine what was yielded at each site.site.

More education/training should have been More education/training should have been done in the beginning (proper watering done in the beginning (proper watering schedule, soil nutrition, etc).schedule, soil nutrition, etc).

One Master Gardner/or gardening expert One Master Gardner/or gardening expert should have been assigned to each site for should have been assigned to each site for assistance and training.assistance and training.

Must have better communicationMust have better communication


Blossom End RotBlossom End Rot


Lesson LearnedLesson Learned

Ensure that the garden design is appropriate for the site.


Next StepsNext Steps

Continue work with the Continue work with the existing gardensexisting gardens

Expand the initiative to Expand the initiative to Head Start and others Head Start and others who are interestedwho are interested

Expand the CCBOH Expand the CCBOH demonstration garden.demonstration garden.


ResourcesResources

University of Georgia Extension ServiceUniversity of Georgia Extension Service

www.caes.uga.edu/extensionwww.caes.uga.edu/extension

American Community Gardening American Community Gardening AssociationAssociation

www.communitygarden.org/www.communitygarden.org/


Questions ???Questions ???

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!


Contact InformationContact Information

Toy Scaife-RooksToy Scaife-Rooks

CCBOH Health Promotion CoordinatorCCBOH Health Promotion Coordinator

[email protected]@dhr.state.ga.us

(678) 610-7692(678) 610-7692

community gardens nutriion at your fingertips

Health & Medicine