Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Garden topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Miami program offers edible‑garden workshops and a seed library for North Bay Village
Summary
Susana Penaranda and Redley Hernandez described an intergenerational gardening and nutrition program (Ready, Set, Grow) that donates produce to families, runs garden reactivations and seed libraries, and partners with UF IFAS Extension; start‑up garden costs were estimated at $5,000–$7,000 depending on space.
Susana Penaranda, who said she works with the City of Miami Department of Human Services, and Redley Hernandez described Ready, Set, Grow, a municipal program that pairs garden reactivations with nutrition education and a community seed library. "Everything that we plant is edible and everything that we harvest goes directly to the residents and the families, at no cost," Susana said, describing seasonal planting, hands‑on workshops and partnerships with UF IFAS Extension. She said pilot sites in Miami produced about 15 pounds of produce per child‑learning center.
Board members discussed space constraints in North Bay Village and alternatives, including portable workshops, vertical or container gardens and partnerships with nonprofits or nearby municipal parks. Susana suggested starting with workshops and reactivations as a practical near‑term step while staff and board search for suitable land; she estimated a new in‑ground garden with community engagement and supplies could cost roughly $5,000–$7,000 depending on scale.
