Overview
The Patricia Davis Community Garden is a CRA initiative to bring urban gardening to the Northwest Pompano Beach CRA district. Formerly three vacant lots totaling one-acre located in the Blanche Ely neighborhood, the Garden focuses on teaching the local community how to grow seasonal organic produce which is shared throughout the local community. In collaboration with the Fruitful Field Inc., the Community Garden has facilitated apprenticeships, local community programs and urban gardening education. As a result, this creative partnership has become an educational resource for local gardeners and students while also creating a sense of community pride and neighborly spirit. In early 2018, the Pompano Beach CRA hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Patricia Davis Community Garden.
Funding:
- CRA funds $60,000 per fiscal year for the Patricia Davis Community Garden
- Grow City Youth, a paid internship program, began with a $37,000 grant from The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation. The program runs as a seasonal paid internship for 25 youths ranging in ages 14-18 at the Patricia Davis Community Garden
Before
After
Gardening with Purpose
The purpose of the Community Garden is to improve people’s quality of life by providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, stimulating social interaction, encouraging self-reliance, beautifying neighborhoods, producing organic nutritious foods, reducing family food budgets, conserving resources and creating opportunities for recreation, exercise, healthy eating, workshops, therapy and education.
Each year, the Patricia Davis Community Garden produces over 1,000 pounds of produce with a portion sold at the bi-weekly seasonal Pompano Beach Farmer’s Market. 40% of the harvest is donated to nearby food pantries and kitchens, and families in need through programs with the E. Pat Larkin Center, Blanche Ely High School Culinary Program, the Blessings Food Pantry and Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen. The Garden provides dynamic hands-on opportunities for people of all ages to include training as well as volunteer and employment opportunities. The Community Garden also has 10 smaller plots available for lease to local families for their exclusive use.
The Fruitful Field, Inc. Partnership
The CRA contracted with The Fruitful Field to manage the Garden’s operations and programming. To ensure success for The Fruitful Field, the CRA installed electric for irrigation and lighting onsite, and a shed for storage of tools and material; all required for the Garden’s operations. These improvements ensure participants have the resources needed to maintain their plots as well as an overall productive Community Garden. Since the Garden’s construction and establishing of plants, The Fruitful Field has continued to maintain the garden to ensure its overall health and long-term viability as a community resource.
For the 2022-2023 season, additional information on Community Garden plots and garden shares can be found below:
PDCG Community Garden Plots Flyer
PDCG 22 23 Community Garden Plot Agreement
Seasonal Smoothie Fridays
Grow City Youth Program
The Garden has become a tremendous educational resource for local gardeners and students, who are learning first-time job skills through a highly successful program called, “Grow City Youth.” Created through The Fruitful Field, Grow City Youth is a paid internship where youth (ages 14-18) use organic urban gardening to develop life skills that will prepare them for their future in the workforce. The program’s mission is to help young people in the community learn about gardening while enhancing entrepreneurial skills through work-based learning experiences and real tasks. This increased responsibility provides a strong foundation for a career in any field. For more information on the Grow City Youth Program, click here: Get Paid $10.00 per Hour – Learn More!
