Sowing seeds of unity, diversity in community

Volunteers linked hands to form a circle around the community garden they planted at Bible Truth Ministries.

Cantaloupe, squash, sweet peppers, collard greens, tomatoes, basil and cabbage soon will be harvested from the 20-foot by 20-foot plot behind the ministries' HOPE Community Center across from Middleton High School.

"We're bringing people together from diverse backgrounds, different experiences, to have a common ground to make a difference," said Bible Truth's pastor, Daniel Dean. "I do believe (the garden) is going to have a major impact to the community bringing people out of their homes to participate."

The garden, which was planted last week, is one of 50 community plots to be established by July in 20 cities across the country. The gardens are sponsored by nonprofit Urban Farming and Triscuit, a subsidiary of Kraft Foods.

The goal is to use vacant land to grow fresh produce in communities and bring together residents of diverse backgrounds and ages.

About 30 people attended the initial planting at Bible Truth, including national representatives of Urban Farming and Triscuit as well as local volunteers from Bible Truth and Kraft Foods.

HGTV's master gardener, Paul James, hosts of "Gardening by the Yard," also attended. James provides gardening advice for the community garden project at www.triscuit.com/homefarming. The site brings together community and individual gardeners who want to share experiences and support the home farming movement.

"What we'd like to do is get rid of hunger in our generation," said Urban Farming founder Taja Sevelle. "We want to make it sustainable. We want to make it the way of the world."

Sevelle is a music recording artist who was signed by Prince's label in the late 1980s. She was in Detroit recording a CD when she was struck by the amount of vacant lots in the city. "I had never seen that to that degree," she said.

With about $5,000 "and a pamphlet" in hand, Sevelle in 2005 founded Urban Farming with three gardens in Detroit. By the end of 2010 there will be about 1,100 gardens nationwide, most in Detroit. But newer gardens are sprouting in other states, including Georgia, Texas, Minnesota and California.

This is the first year century-old cracker maker Triscuit has partnered with Urban Farming. About 4 million packages of Triscuit crackers will have seed cards inside for basil and dill herbs. An additional 10 million packages will include summaries of the farming project.

Sevelle said initial planting costs, an irrigation system and soil preparations are paid for by Urban Farming and Triscuit. At least four local sponsors are lined up for each community garden, she said.

Community volunteers and students who attend Bible Truth's school will tend the garden. But they will be helped by 4-H members from the Hillsborough County Extension, the Fight Like A Girl program for at-risk girls and the East Tampa Community Health Service Project.

"I just think if we can get kids outside ... doing something different it will be a great thing," said FLAG founder Angelica Norton.

Community gardens are an idea that could help area food banks fill their pantries, said Eric Grandberry of Bible Truth.

"We don't always have to eat meat," he said. "There's a lot of good things we can grow ourselves."

Community gardens are not the only way to participate, Sevelle said. People can grow produce in planter boxes or in small yard plots, she said.

"Planting at home really cuts down on the (food) bills," she said. "This is a movement. Everybody is jumping on board."

The East Tampa garden is a pilot project in Tampa, and others could be added.

"We'd love to partner with other organizations," Sevelle said.