Author Archives: Jenny

Garden Spotlight: Circus Lyons

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The Circus Lyon Community Garden got its start in 2006, when owner Mark Stevenson opened it up for the coalition to start a garden with support from neighbors. That first year, kids from a City of Columbia youth camp helped plant some donated tomatoes and marigolds. The kids got to get their hands in the dirt and learn about how to place young plants in the ground and water them.

Check out these photos from that first year!

The garden has continued to thrive since then, with gardeners even going on a float trip together in 2017. Like all of our neighborhood gardens, plots are open to anyone in the community who applies. Gardeners plant and harvest from their individual plots, and are expected to contribute to the general upkeep of the garden, like mowing and mulching.

Here’s a crew of Circus Lyon gardeners this spring after a work day to mulch a common area.

Circus Lyon gardeners pose after a spring work daySupport this community garden and others like it by donating to the Community Garden Coalition this December during CoMo Gives. Donate now through December 31! https://comogives.com/community-garden-coalition

Supporting Community Gardens Since 1983

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Felt banner saying "Community Garden Coalition Since 1983"Did you know? The Community Garden Coalition has been around since 1983, supporting gardens, health, nutrition and community.

This year, we counted 31 member gardens to which we offer support. Right now, we’re getting ready to be a part of CoMo Gives, a donation project that has just as much community spirit as we do. We hope you’ll shake down the couch cushions for a few extra dollars to see if you can help us fund another year of water, mowers, mulch and hoses!

It all starts on #GivingTuesday!

(Wondering about the lovely felt banner pictured here? To the best of our knowledge it was made by generous and talented former CGC board member Barb Michaels.)

Season’s End 2018

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snow on leaves of a brassicaWell, that was an early snow! The 2018 gardening season has come to a close with some record low temperatures in Mid-Missouri this month. Before you shift away from thinking about gardening for the winter, please do the following.

 

  • If you’re at a community or group garden, let your garden leader know whether you’re planning to return next year. This will help leaders know what plots will be available for newcomers next year.
  • Clean up your plot. If you need tips on how to put your garden to bed for the winter, consult your garden leader.
  • Consider making a year-end donation to the CGC to help with maintaining your community garden next year. We’re a very small, all-volunteer non-profit, and even modest contributions help us fund water, mulch, tools and more to support community gardening in Columbia.
    Donate here today, or wait for December when the CGC will be participating in the CoMo Gives local giving campaign.
  • Consider donating some of your time. Individual gardens need good leaders and team members and the board of the CGC could use some new members, too. Contact your garden leader or our board members to get involved.

Community Gardens on the Edible Columbia Tour

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This coming Sunday, June 24, from 2-5 p.m., join Peaceworks’ Center for Sustainable Living for the 2018 Edible Columbia Garden Tour. This year, the tour is exploring several new and very interesting topics, like butterfly and pollinator gardens, fruit trees, irrigation techniques, raised beds and unique uses of yard space for food production! And you’ll get to visit two Community Garden Coalition member gardens: Ash Street Community Garden and Ann Street Community Garden.

past tour participants at the Urban Farm Continue reading →

Warm Season Plants & Seeds This Weekend

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It’s time to plant all those delicious heat-loving veggies like tomatoes, peppers sweet potatoes and eggplant! For community gardeners, the CGC will host a plant and seed distribution this weekend, so make some time to come by and get what you need to fill out your garden and fill up your plates this summer.

ripe eggplant on its plant


Saturday, May 19
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday, May 20
12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Claudell Lane Garden
711 Claudell Lane

 

Plants are free to member gardeners, but we welcome donations of $1-$2 per 4-pack to help offset the cost. Row cover will be available for sale. Plus, we still have lots of seeds to offer you for various vegetables and flowers!

ESPAÑOL

Jardineros/as: Tendremos una distribución de plantas para la temporada cálida el sábado 19 de mayo de 10-2 y el domingo 20 de mayo de 12-2. Las plantas estarán disponibles por una donación de 50 centavos cada una en el Jardín de Claudell. Tendremos tomates, pimientos, berenjenas y camote. Si necesita semillas, estas estarán disponibles los mismos días a la misma hora, o puede contactar a Mira a su email: mirabai911@hotmail.com.

 

Cool Season Transplants & Seeds

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By Buddy431 [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia CommonsIf our cool weather keeps hanging around, it could end up being a great spring for plants like cauliflower, broccoli, kale and cabbage!

The CGC will have seedlings of these cool-weather crops available for community gardeners next Saturday and Sunday, March 24 & 25.

Payment is not required, but if you can afford to make a small donation, we suggest about 50¢ per plant which helps us cover the costs for those who cannot pay.

Just come by the Claudell community garden, 711 Claudell Lane during the following times:

  • Saturday, March 24, 10 am-2 pm
  • Sunday, March 25, Noon-2 pm

Also Available

We have ROW COVER you can use to protect young plants from chewing insects while still letting light and water through. It is used with metal hoops to hold it up over your plants. We suggest a donation of 25¢ per linear foot of cover and for each hoop.

And, we also have vegetable and flower SEEDS for those who missed our Spring Thaw giveaway last month. We still have some of everything that was available at the Thaw (peas, beans, leafy vegetables, carrots, herbs, beets, radishes, squash, etc.) and some new flower seeds donated by Baker Creek.

Please note this event is meant for gardeners at our member gardens.

Community Gardening Kick-Off February 25

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a gardener prepares a new raised bed at Friendship Garden

Spring Thaw Community Gardening Kick-Off

Sunday, Feb. 25, 2-4 p.m. at the Activity & Recreation Center

The Spring Thaw is the kick-off to our community gardening season. There will be representatives from all the gardens, so you can join a garden as a newcomer or confirm a plot assignment for previous gardeners. Plus, everyone can network and get gardening advice from other gardeners. We’ll have a limited quantity of free seeds available for gardeners at member gardens.

There will also be snacks and drinks, plus get information about composting and City recycling from our special guest, Columbia Volunteer Programs Specialist Jody Cook.

Hope to see you there!

Seed Repacking Party & Spring Thaw

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We have two upcoming events as we get ready for this gardening season!

Seed Repacking Party

seed packets

The annual CGC Seed Repackaging Party, to prepare seeds for distribution to participating gardeners, will take place on Sunday, February 18, 1-4 p.m. at Centro Latino (609 N. Garth Ave., Columbia). In exchange for helping us repack bulk seed into smaller quantities, the CGC will feed you lunch! But you must RSVP to lauren.godsy@gmail.com by Feb. 14. We are only reserving 30 meals, so don’t wait to RSVP!

Spring Thaw Community Gardening Kick-Off

Sunday, Feb. 25, 2-4 p.m. at the Activity & Recreation Center

cole crops at Circus Lyons gardenThe Spring Thaw is the kick-off to our community gardening season. There will be representatives from all the gardens, so you join a garden as a newcomer or confirm a plot assignment for previous gardeners. Plus, everyone can network and get gardening advice from other gardeners. We’ll have a limited quantity of free seeds available for gardeners at member gardens.

There will also be snacks and drinks, plus get information about composting and City recycling from our special guest, Columbia Volunteer Programs Specialist Jody Cook.

Hope to see you there!