It’s that time of year where we sit down around a table, surrounded by our family, to celebrate Thanksgiving. Not all families, however, are necessarily comprised of relatives. This season we’d like to feature a North Beach community that has come together to create something very special.

The North Beach Community Garden can be found of the corner of 73^rd Street and Dickens Avenue and was established by the City of Miami Beach in 2007. The garden holds 97 plots and yields local residents the opportunity to plant and grow their own flowers, vegetables and herbs. The garden is run by a steering committee, which has fostered a friendly organization of organic gardeners. They require a minimum of 6 volunteer hours per year for all gardeners, and organize frequent work sessions on the weekends.

North Beach Community Garden has the largest and most active membership of all three Miami Beach community gardens. (Mid Beach Community Garden is located at 4400 Pinetree Dr. and South Beach Community Garden is at 220 Collins Ave.) Currently, the garden has a waiting list of twenty people on it, but those looking to get involved are invited to attend the monthly garden clean up, taking place the second Sunday of each month. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow gardeners and get placed on the waiting list.

Seeing a community unite for such a wonderful initiative is nothing short of inspiring, especially as we come upon Thanksgiving and approach the holiday season. Aside from all the wonderful vegetables and plants the garden has grown, the most valuable thing that has sprouted from the North Beach Community Garden is the family of volunteers that run it. A section in the front of the garden is gardened by Miami Beach Parks employee Cathy Rodriguez and children from the North Shore Recreation Park & Youth Center’s Garden Club.

Aside from gardening, the committee also organizes social events for gardeners, including a potluck BBQ at the beginning of season. Naturally, recipes include ingredients grown right in their own garden! The committee has implemented a 2/3 rule, where two thirds of each plot must be planted to grow food.

Interested in experiencing the North Beach Community Garden for yourself? Saturday mornings are a good time to visit, when gardeners tend to their plots and are available and happy to offer anyone who wishes a quick tour of the area.

Thank you, North Beach Community Garden, for inspiring us with your sense of community and dedication!