The Turlock Community Gardens is getting into the spirit of the season a little early with a Spring Gathering event set for Saturday.
The Community Gardens Spring Gathering will feature over 60 vendors, a kids’ market, community item swap, plant swap, free nature-based arts and crafts activities and the Easter Bunny will be making an appearance for complimentary photo opportunities.
According to Melissa Been, president of the Turlock Community Gardens, with this event the group aims to “further amplify the positive impact of Turlock Community Gardens in our beloved community.
“TCG plays a vital role in enhancing food security, promoting healthy lifestyles, and beautifying the urban landscape, ultimately contributing to the overall well-being and resilience of the city,” she said.
What was once a vacant plot of land nestled between Cornerstone Covenant Church and the new Jessica’s House on Crowell Road was transformed in 2020 into a place where families, educators, students, refugees and more can tend to crops of all shapes and sizes, thanks to the vision of Stanislaus State Geology professor Julia Sankey.
Sankey, along with Jonathan Partridge, Been, Vivien Jacob and Anna-Martha Brown, came together to form the nonprofit organization Turlock Community Gardens in hopes to become an “umbrella” for others who want to start their own gardens in town.
The garden consists of 45 plots, cared for by various individuals who all expressed interest in the garden before soil had even been laid. There are plots set aside for Jessica’s House clients, as well as a few tended to by refugee families from Turlock’s International Rescue Committee office.
Any extra food grown goes to free food boxes for those in need. Been said food has been donated in the past to the IRC and the Children’s Crisis Center.
The garden has become a place for learning, growing and gathering.
“It has most definitely evolved since its inception. There’s been a lot of student involved from CSU Stanislaus and their help has been transformative,” said Been, who also credited students from the Pitman High Key Club for making the garden the success it is now.
Many of the activities at Saturday’s event will showcase what happens at the gardens.
The Kids’ Business Market is run completely by kids, allowing them to be in charge of creating their own products, speak to customers and close the sale. Information will also be available about the Turlock Community Gardens Kids Club gatherings, which take place the second Friday and Saturday of the month starting at 10 a.m. Participants enjoy hands-on activities and open-ended crafts. Enrollment is available without charge, guaranteeing accessibility for every child in the community.
“The response has been tremendous,” said Been about the relatively new Kids Club. She said the TCG is also planning to launch a week-long summer camp for children and the Kids Club helped them prepare for that undertaking.
All of the activities at the garden are free of charge. Been said that this so every family and community member can be involved. A fundraising campaign is ongoing to help sponsor activities like the seasonal community day events and kids activities. For information on donating the TCG, visit: https://www.turlockcommunitygardens.org/support
It may look like a traditional yard sale in one area of the gardens on Saturday, but it is actually a yard “swap,” where everything is free.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to give and receive items within our community, fostering connections and reducing waste in the process,” said Been in press release about the event.
The plant swap is of the same nature, allowing community members to expand their plant collection with the help of neighbors.
The Spring Gathering will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 4105 Crowell Rd., in Turlock. For more information about the Turlock Community Gardens, visit: https://www.turlockcommunitygardens.org/
