Community comes together to plant HOPE Garden in Bunnell

Neighbors help neighbors convert a brownfield into a community garden.

By Jacque Estes
| 4:33 p.m. December 14, 2015

Armed with "gold" scissors, Executive Director of the Flagler County Housing Authority, Mike Boyd cuts the ribbon at the Hope Garden on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Once the ribbon was cut, the students got busy planting at the HOPE Garden in Bunnell, on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Carley Koehler captures the moment for Hope Brock and Erica Samples at the Hope Garden ribbon cutting on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

No clean hands here. Hope Brock and Erica Samples from Buddy Taylor Middle School, show their colorful hands. The girls were two of many who decorated a picnic table donated by Lowes, with colorful handprints. Photo Jacque Estes

Flagler School Board member, Andy Dance, raises his phone above the crowd to get a shot of the ribbon cutting at the Hope Garden on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Alfonso Clark rubs paint on his hands as Katrin Austin looks on at the Hope Garden in Bunnell on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Sean Gilliam and Jackson McMillan make handprints on a picnic table at HOPE Garden in Bunnell on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Jennifer Domingues from the i3 Academy gently places a plant into the soil at the HOPE Garden on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Everyone was snapping photos at the HOPE Garden, even Superintendent Jacob Oliva. Photo Jacque Estes

The GREEN team from Bunnell Elementary, Madelynn Oliva, Jackson McMillan, Sean Gilliam, Danny Wolcott, and Jermaine Bucknor, pose for a photo in front of the uncut ribbon. Photo Jacque Estes

Brianna Seay carries a flat of vegetables, while Marie Mott brings the trowel. The two planted vegetables at the HOPE Garden on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Barbara Revels introduced Flagler County Housing Authority Executive Director Mike Boyd at the HOPE Garden on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Katrina Austin speaks before the ribbon cutting at the Hope Garden on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

As soon as the ribbon was cut, children from sixth to 12th grade, filled the garden area with plants they had been growing in their classrooms. Photo Jacque Estes

The GREEN team from Bunnell Elementary, were the first to put their colorful handprints on a new picnic table at HOPE Garden in Bunnell on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo Jacque Estes

Palm Coast Observer
News

There was a traffic jam at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and South Bacher streets in Bunnell on Monday, Dec. 14. Lights flashed from the C.O.P. car and the volunteer officer stood in the middle of the street directing traffic.

The attraction was the ribbon cutting ceremony for the HOPE (Helping Others Provide Encouragement) Garden and everybody in town was not only there, they were all active participants.

Five Bunnell elementary school students, Sean Gilliam, Jermaine Bucknor, Danny Wolcott, Madelyn Oliva, and Jackson McMillan, were easy to spot in their bright green shirts, emblazoned with GREEN, Gardening Raising Environmental Efficiency Network. They were some of the youngest volunteers that came together to plant vegetables in the reclaimed brownfield area.

“The tenants here are able to produce an amazing amount of food, and they do a wonderful job, and serve the elderly as well.” Mike Boyd, Executive Director Flagler County Housing Authority

During the opening ceremony, Flagler County Commissioner Barbara Revels thanked all of the organizations, businesses, government and school groups that worked on the project. The list was long and included the FEED (Flagler Economic Enhancement District) Coalition, Flagler Schools, the Housing Authority, and Florida Agricultural Services.

Partners include:

• The F.E.E.D. Coalition: Flagler County, City of Bunnell and City of Palm Coast for organizing and leading the effort and acquiring the grant to move the project forward.

• Planting pots, seed germination, planting and signage were the work of the Agronomy students of Buddy Taylor Middle School and the i3 Tech Academy.

• Manpower was donated by the G.R.E.E.N. students of Bunnell Elementary School, their parents and the Housing Authority men’s group.

• The Department of Health (DOH) is providing nutritional education and cooking classes relative to the vegetables being grown in the garden.

• UF/IFAS Ag. Extension provided a $500 grant for tools, seeds and equipment as well as a chef to teach cooking classes.

• Excavation and removal of the concrete supports was donated by Environmental Land Services.

• Top soil was donated by Ross Excavation.

• Picnic table was provided by Lowes.

• Mulch was provided by Austin Outdoor.

• Terracon Consultants performed the ESAs and soil sampling.

Mike Boyd, executive director of the Flagler County Housing Authority for almost 30 years, explained how the lot was once a propane tank farm. The garden was created through a public and private collaboration that was seeded by a FEED Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields grant for environmental assessments and reuse planning.

The residents formed a garden club and a men’s group to grow and harvest the plants started by the students. This is not the only community garden. There are other smaller gardens around the neighborhood, and one at the Sheriff’s Operation Center, also part of the BES GREEN project.

“The tenants here are able to produce an amazing amount of food, and they do a wonderful job, and serve the elderly as well,” Boyd said.

Katrina Austin, from the county economic development department, asked everyone who was part of the project to stand behind the ribbon for the official opening of the garden, and that’s where the majority of the crowd gathered.

“I think the whole partnership with the school and kids, and to finance this and get it set up is amazing,” school board member, Andy Dance said.

With the GREEN students from Bunnell Elementary standing in front, Boyd snipped the bright orange ribbon with gold scissors.

The reason for the garden was clear to Sean Gilliam, 12.

“We want to help to promote a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

When asked if the GREEN team eats vegetables, a chorus of “yes” rang out.

“You can’t be part of the troop and not,” Sean said.