Alachua County officials turned soil and heads on Saturday at the Alachua County Administration Building.
Virgil Mathis, an intern with the Alachua County Office of Sustainability, said about 100 community members attended the Downtown Farmer’s Garden Dedication. Alachua County Manager Randall Reid served as the master of ceremonies.
“In Alachua County, we have made a major stride in recognizing that sustainability is not just about the environment,” Reid said. “It is about community and strengthening the fabric of community.”
The garden is on the southeast corner of first Avenue and South Main Street on the lawn of the Alachua County Administration Building. Volunteers built raised beds and planted fruit trees as well as a variety of annuals and perennials.
Under the coordination of the Florida Organic Growers and Abundant Edible Landscapes, about 18 volunteers from Alachua YouthBuild and 40 volunteers from the UF Young Entrepreneurs in Leadership and Sustainability helped with the preparation and planting.
Sean McLendon, Alachua County Sustainability program manager, said the garden will serve as a teaching tool for the community. Residents will have the opportunity to learn about rain barrels and composting along with the ins and outs of gardening.
McLendon said the garden would not have come alive without help from 14 sponsors. According to Mathis, the Downtown Rotary Club donated $4,000 to the Downtown Farmer’s Garden.
Walt Barry, past president of the Downtown Rotary Club, said he looked forward to many replications of the downtown garden in the future.
“This is a fulfillment of reconnecting community with local food supply,” Reid said, a connection he said has been lost after a single generation walked away from the soil.
