Franklinton Gardens Community Event

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the Franklinton Gardens community event at 1000 Town St. across from the St. John's Episcopal Church.  Directed by Patrick Kaufman, pictured here, this is a neighborhood who's gardens recently won the 2010

Community Garden of the Year award at the Growing to Green Awards Ceremony at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio.  As you can see from the photo, the produce is beautiful.  Adding to this beauty, is a community of people who know each other's names, help to grow the food and care for each other on a personal level. 

I helped lead children's activities, such as: making art with food, and creating a mural depicting a city farm and a country farm.  Local Matters also set up a tent with cooking demonstrations and food tastings led by Michael Jones and Erin Caricofe. 

How delightful it was to taste a salad made with sauteed onions, peaches, and tomatoes.  An interesting blend of flavors that was suprisingly delicious.  The community event took place from 9-12 and attendence picked up as the morning went on.  Next thing I knew, the kid's food art tent was packed with children waiting in line for a turn.  At one point some folks with guitars and banjos circled up to play music with children from the community joining in on kazoos, harmonicas, and drums supplied by St. John's Church across the street. 

I quickly realized that holding community events such as this one, helps to bring people closer together and shows children from a young age, how much fun it can be to gather together around food and music. I encourage you to visit the Franklinton Gardens web site at:

http://www.franklintongardens.org