Annual Gardener’s Gathering and Plant Sale taking place in Springfield on Saturday
MassLive, May 11, 2018.
On Saturday, Gardening the Community and the Springfield Food Policy Council are holding their 7th annual Gardeners Gathering & Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 200 Walnut St. in Springfield.
The public is invited to come meet fellow gardeners to learn new skills, trade tips, and get inspired. The day will include free workshops on topics such as growing greens in 14 days, medicinal plants, milk crate gardens, planting in a raised bed, succession planting, and turning your kitchen scraps into quality soil for growing veggies.
Residents are invited to come purchase a wide variety of vegetable, herb, and flower plants, including beautiful wrapped plants and hanging baskets just in time for Mother’s Day. SNAP, credit cards and cash are all accepted forms of payment.
“This is a great opportunity for people in the neighborhood to make the most of what we already have,” said Toussaint Paskins, GTC Food Access and Market Manager. “Anyone can come and learn how to grow their own food in affordable, fun ways. Being sustainable isn’t hard, and the Gardeners Gathering is a great spot to meet new people and learn new skills. Plus we have beautiful plants just in time for Mother’s Day.”
Free tours of GTC’s new farm site will be offered along with information about starting a community garden in Springfield and soil health. Visit www.springfieldfoodpolicy.org for more information on specific workshops.
Gardening the Community is a food justice organization based in Springfield, engaged in youth development, urban agriculture, and sustainable living. GTC builds youth leadership, grows pesticide-free fruits and vegetables for the community on small urban farms, and organizes for healthy food access for all.
Proceeds from the Plant Sale benefit their youth programs. The Springfield Food Policy Council (SFPC) envisions a vibrant, sustainable, accessible, and culturally appropriate food system in the City of Springfield. The goal of the SFPC is to provide a comprehensive examination and assessment of Springfield’s food system as well as ongoing recommendations for policy and built-environment solutions to improve access to fresh, affordable, and culturally appropriate food for those who live and work in the City of Springfield.
