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Health & Fitness

UMd. Extension Helps Prince George's Residents Grow Their Own Food

Growing Community Gardens Event to be held on March 24 in Riverdale.

Over 50 Prince George’s County gardeners are expected to attend University of Maryland Extension’s “Growing Community Gardens” event on March 24 in Riverdale.

This is the first-ever gathering for all Prince George’s County community gardeners to build community, learn from each other, and gain gardening skills.  The event organizers hope this will be the first of many annual events.

Held on Saturday, March 24, 2012 at the Center for Educational Partnership (located at 6200 Sheridan Street, Riverdale, Maryland) the “Growing Community Gardens” event will offer networking opportunities, workshops on garden planning and organic pest control,  and a panel discussion featuring experienced community gardeners and community leaders.  Keynote speaker will be Jon Traunfeld, State Master Gardener Coordinator and Director of University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center.

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“As food prices rise and concerns about food safety are brought to our attention, more and more Prince George’s County residents are growing their own food, many of them in community gardens. This event will help community gardeners become more successful and produce more of their own food in the future,” says event co-coordinator Christie Balch, of the University of Maryland Extension.

Co-coordinator Esther Mitchell, the Master Gardener Coordinator for University of Maryland Extension, Prince George’s County adds, “There are very few satisfying rewards as eating  fresh food from your own vegetable garden. Growing Community Gardens can equip you with knowledge to extend that satisfaction.”

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The “Growing Community Gardens” event costs $20 and includes a lunch catered by the Wild Onion in Hyattsville.  For more event details, and to register online, visit http://growingcommunitygardens.eventbrite.com/.  Contact Christie Balch at cbalch@umd.edu or at 301-779-2806 x706 for additional information or if you'd like to register by mail and pay with a check.

Special thanks for support from Eric C. Olson, Council Member District 3, Prince George’s County Council, Ingrid M. Turner, Council Member District 4, Prince George’s County Council, MOM’s Organic Market, and Prince George's County Farm Bureau, Inc.

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