Key West Community Garden

April, 2011

In August of 2008, a group of energized Key West residents created the “GLEE Community Garden – Key West” on the site of former May Sands School. The garden has grown to over 45 members, or “locavores,” all growing their own organic vegetables. The first of its kind in the Keys, the community garden concept is gaining momentum. It is likely there will be more gardens “sprouting” up in other Florida Keys locations soon. 

Started as a labor of love, founding garden members contributed lots of sweat equity for many weeks to transform what was a barren, empty lot into a lush and vibrant garden.  Rows of 4’ x 10’ plots express the individuality and gustatory preferences of the members. Concrete block and wooden raised beds display different gardening techniques such as “lasagna gardening” and “square foot gardening,” along with some that are more haphazard in their approach, tossing in seeds and letting nature takes its course. In addition to the more typical vegetables grown in  South  Florida  --  tomatoes, peppers, radishes and eggplant, garden members are experimenting with all manner of produce, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, beets, beans, peas, kale, lettuces and greens, and edible and medicinal flowers such as nasturtium and calendula.

“I think there is a movement of people in our country who want to have more control over their own food supply, to know what goes into their food, understand and engage in how it's grown,” founding member Tim May said. “A number of people interested in the project have told me they read Barbara Kingsolver's book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle," and they're ready to buy a swath of land somewhere rural and start growing. This project enables them to get a start on those dreams and begin learning.”

Those who have joined the garden include families, individuals, schools, church groups and the Boys & Girls Club.  Several members of the Key West Garden Club also belong to the community garden.  Each participant pays a $100 fee for an individual plot, or $75 to participate in the communal plots. These fees, which include GLEE membership, help to cover gardening expenses such as soil, tools, water and seeds. The garden accepts tax-deductible donations  under the 501c3 umbrella of GLEE’s Healthy Living Committee.