South side Columbians take note, Bethel Church garden (on Old Plank Road), would welcome new gardeners to participate. They don’t have individual plots but anyone is welcome to come and help with the garden in exchange for produce when it is available.

If you’re interested, contact Linda by email and put “garden” in the subject line. If you live nearby and are a beginner, this would be a good way to learn about gardening without the full responsibility of having your own garden.

Two gardens with great central locations are not yet full and are having their first meetings this weekend, which makes it a great time to get started at Circus-Lyons garden (workdays this weekend and next) or at the Claudell garden (workday Sunday, 1-3 p.m.).

Both the garden at the Health Department and the Ash St. garden also have some plots still available.

In the north central part of Columbia, Benton-Stephens, Ninth St. and St. Joseph gardens are all full. A waiting list is established at Benton and will soon be started at the other two.

The leaders of St. Joseph garden are looking for some small groups of gardeners to work a new garden nearby on St. James Street. Contact Adam to talk about this opportunity.

Columbia’s community gardens are getting organized for the season.

• If you are gardening at Broadway Christian Church garden, plan to attend the meeting March 18 at 2 p.m. at the church to discuss this year’s garden and meet fellow gardeners.
• If you plan to garden at Ninth St. garden, note that this garden is currently full and starting a waiting list. Be sure contact leader Leslie Schneider if you will not end up using your plot.
• The CGC is welcoming at least two new gardens as members of our group this spring. We’re happy to be helping along new gardens for youth at Ridgeway Elementary and the Islamic School of Columbia.

If you have any updates about your garden, please send them to jenny@comogardens.org for sharing.

A coalition of groups has come together to produce this survey to help understand access to food for families in Columbia. To get accurate information, they need people from all income levels, neighborhoods and walks of life to fill out this quick survey. Complete the survey here; it only took me about 10 minutes.

You’ll also have the opportunity to enter your name (which is kept separate from their survey!!) into a drawing to win football tickets and $20 gift cards at local restaurants and grocery stores. This is part of the Unite for Healthy Neighborhoods program, funded by a Grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“Organic garden brings two faiths together to raise food for needy families”  This Tribune article by Marcia Vanderlip is about two CGC gardens: the Interfaith Garden maintained by members of Congregation Beth Shalom and the Newman Center and, in the sidebar, the giving garden at Rockbridge Christian Church.

See these gardens mapped.