Purpose and Goals

The Eastmark Gardening Club was approved by Eastmark HOA 26 April 2017

We believe it is important each family produce some food within the confines of their own lot to somewhat stabilize availability of ready healthy food and to preserve seeds in the hands of people. 

We also believe gardening includes growing flowers or other plants that are pleasing to the eye and will gladden the heart.  

The Eastmark Garden Club has these goals:  G--E--S

Encourage as many people as possible to:

G =  Grow a garden and produce as much of their own organic food at home in home gardens (in-ground, pots, hydroponics, etc) and grow flowers to beautify homes and gladden the heart.  Particular attention will be given to small urban yard gardens to compliment the limited space and growing conditions of the community that we live in.  
E =  Educate club members so they have the skills to be successful

S =   Save seeds, particularly those indigenous to the Sonoran Southwest and Exchange seeds with club members and Share ideas.

METHODS:

·       Education:  Provide information where people can go to get educated on their own; invite speakers; produce blog posts, etc

·       Collaboration: Provide means for people to exchange ideas and encourage one another in their efforts to garden and save seeds.

·       Seed Exchange: Coordinate efforts to save seeds of as many varieties as possible and share with as many people as possible.

TOOLS:

·       Create a blog to post educational material, results of experiments by garden club members and links to education sites

·       Create a Facebook page so Garden Club members can interactively ask questions, receive comments and post successes and failures

MEETINGS:

·       Most information shared by the Eastmark Gardening Club will be via social media instead of face to face meetings.  However the following meetings are envisioned.

o   Monthly meetings/tours of different club member gardens.  They can demonstrate what they are going, share ideas, get advice, etc

o   Non-regular meetings where specialist are invited to speak.

o   Spontaneous meetings among garden club members

CLUB MEMBERSHIP:

·       Anyone can join, but residents of Eastmark will be the primary target

·       Members ‘join’ the ‘club’ by requesting their name, email and telephone # be added to the club roster and voluntarily participating in the Facebook page, formal meetings, sharing information, etc 

·       Level of participation in the club is totally voluntary, dependent on the person’s time, resources and interests and can range from a casual review of the blogsite and facebook to active participation in the seed exchanges, in seed diversity experiments, helping to organize club meetings, speakers, expos, etc

·       Nothing is purchased or sold by the club, so there will be no membership dues or fund raisers.

COMMUNITY GARDEN

·       The Eastmark Garden Club is not a typical “community garden” because of all the challenges and problems otherwise associated with real estate, finances, management, security, etc.  The success of a typical community garden usually depends on the efforts of a small handful of people who do most of the work.  It also detracts from the goals of the Eastmark Gardening Club.

·       The Eastmark Garden Club might be considered a "Virtual Community Garden".  Every family will have the opportunity to produce something within the confines of their own lot where success (rewards) or failure (learning experiences) depends entirely on the family involved.  Because the garden is just outside their kitchen window and will be seen every day, the garden is central to the family activities and won’t be forgotten.  Collectively, all the family gardens in the Eastmark Garden Club constitute the “Community” garden which is shared through the blogsite, facebook, visits by club members to individual family gardens, seed exchanges, sharing produce, etc.