Compost and pollinators will be discussed in Thursday afternoon's Full Circle: Gardening for Beginners.
The workshops will include open forums and presentations encouraging aspiring gardeners to adopt a sustainable approach to farming.
Hosted by the University of Florida and the Alachua County Institute of Agricultural and Food Sciences, the event introduced residents of North Central Florida to the expertise of volunteer speaker and kindergarten teacher Lisa Athearn.
"I'm delighted that we have so much renewed interest in gardening given the resources we use and create," said Athearn.
The public event at the Alachua County Farm Auditorium on West Newberry Road was designed to emphasize the importance of a 'full circle' approach.
"Total gardening is about being aware of the inputs and outputs that you have in your garden," says Athearn. “Understand the interactions between the different systems in your garden and realize that you take something from the environment and it is your responsibility to give something back.”
Athearn came to Gainesville to do his Ph.D. In 2001 2015 he returned to the USA with his family and has been gardening in humid Florida ever since. Athearn says one of her goals is to incorporate sustainability into gardening through a holistic approach, effectively promoting a renewable energy mindset, she says.
The organizers create a space for ecological education and outreach, actively connecting community members through their shared interest in horticulture. One of the participants, Carol Rosenau, 69, said she attended the presentation to increase her knowledge of agronomy.
"I've been gardening in this area for about a year now and I'm really trying to study the flow of the seasons," says Rosenau. "I want to be more independent. I own all the parts but I want to get into this closed loop, I want to grow enough food for me and my family.
With a penchant for independence, Rosenau is no newcomer to horticulture. He moved to Florida from the north a few years ago and has had plenty of time to acclimate to the southern climate. Rosenau said he is now adjusting to Gainesville's cooler climate after struggling with the unfriendly Miami heat.
When it comes to gardening, her specialty is worm tea, a natural liquid fertilizer made from worm droppings in water, she says.
"I have a can of worms," says Rosenau. “They produce a fertilizer that you can apply to your plants. So the drop makes a great tea. In addition to buying commercial fertilizers, we also appreciate the nutritional benefits,” he said.
The presentation highlighted the benefits of comprehensive farming practices, including conserving resources and protecting healthy landscapes that support wildlife and wildlife.
Rosenau's worms are only part of the equation. The presentation gave him hope and spurred his efforts, he said. Sharing with other gardeners in the community gives Rosenau a sense that his vision for his farming goals is quite achievable.
"I feel like we can be in tune and balance with nature," Rosenau added. "Sometimes we don't take the time and energy to learn how to do it."
More than 50 people filled the Ag auditorium, crowded around wooden tables and blue checkered plastic chairs. Among them was Joseph Andes, 58, a Newberry resident who was only a five-minute drive to the show. For him, Andes says, gardening started as "something you can do."
"I grew up outside of New York City," he says. "I went to a school whose playground had no grass."
After moving to Florida, Andes was able to get serious about gardening, Andes said. She has lived in Newberry for more than 20 years and says her goal is to incorporate the lessons learned from the presentations into her gardening work.
Linda Casey, 72, shares a similar sentiment. Casey has lived in Gainesville for four years. Casey, a native of Virginia, says she lived and worked on a farm during her formative years and credits her grandmother with introducing her to gardening.
"I thought it was a great presentation," Casey said. "Although I do a lot of gardening, I also learn new things."
When the event ended and community members reflected on their newfound knowledge of the park, the event coordinator was delighted with the results. Susan Nugent, kindergarten teacher and climate activist, is one happy organizer.
"We look at things like gardening and what we can do as individuals to change what's happening in our backyard," says Nugent.
He explained that the workshop's strength lies in its ability to bring communities together while confronting personal apathy and climate alienation.
"A lot of us were at the point where we started smoking," Nugent admits. "The general theory is that when we're active and doing something, we can feel better as if we're taking a step in the right direction." We don't sit and do nothing, we don't give up, we try to encourage participation,” he said.
Athearn reflects on the show's success and his goals for the future.
"I definitely hope that the people who attend this event will be a part of this paradigm shift," said Athearn. “Through connection we learn. You know, that's not the hippie mindset. "It's been done this way for thousands of years," he said.
