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Garden Gets Ready To Grow

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By MICHELE SAGER

msager@tampatrib.com

Published: October 22, 2008

CARROLLWOOD - The vegetables aren't planted, but residents already are seeing the fruits of their labor at a new community organic garden.

Leaders of the community garden owned by the county and run by a nonprofit group gave about 30 residents an update at a recent public meeting. Volunteers have started clearing land, and the planting should begin soon.

VISTA Gardens, short for Village Institute for Sustainable Technologies & Agriculture, is set to open in Carrollwood Village near South Village Drive. It is modeled after Sweetwater, a cooperative in Town 'N Country where members grow organic fruits and vegetables. Members support the farm with money, labor or both and get to keep some of the harvest.

VISTA gardens will be run in partnership with Urban Oasis, a hydroponic farm on Linebaugh Avenue.

"We decided to go hydroponic because the soil in that area isn't desirable for traditional farming, and it would be much more expensive to prepare the land," said Bill West, VISTA Gardens president.

The advantages to hydroponics are that more plants can be produced in a smaller space and less water is consumed.

Volunteers have begun preparing the site. West said he expects to have the lease agreement finalized with the county by November.

The garden will feature a 2.5-acre planting area toward the rear of the property and a landscape area near the front that will educate visitors on environmentally friendly landscaping options.

"There will be an educational component where we will teach the community on sustainable technologies and how to conserve energy and water," West said.

Though the garden is in Carrollwood, membership is open to all Hillsborough County residents. Leaders expect to accept about 50 full-share memberships or 100 half-share memberships.

The garden will offer a variety of membership levels.

Half-share membership ranges from $355 to $614, plus four hours of volunteer time on the farm. Those members receive a half share of produce each week and a 10 percent discount on additional produce purchases. They also receive a discount on educational classes.

Full-share prices range from $615 to $999.

Gardens leaders showed residents an example of a typical share of produce. It included a pound of tomatoes, two bags of lettuce, a cucumber and a sweet onion.

HOW TO JOIN

Membership forms are available at http://carrollwood village.com/show doc.asp?from=ve&id=1104, and memberships start Nov. 1. For information, call (813) 240-9406.

Reporter Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 865-4843.

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