The Sieda Community Action Seeds of Hope program offers education and community gardening opportunities to help meet the physical and social needs of residents in our communities. Through our program and partnerships with other agencies, we offer space for residents to grow their own food. Seeds of Hope also offers educational sessions on gardening, cooking, and preserving locally grown foods. We can help families save money on grocery bills and improve the quality of the food they eat.
Wapello County
Sieda Community Action offers community garden plots for Ottumwans who may want to grow their own fruits, vegetables, and spices, but may lack the space or experience to try. Our community garden is located at 310 W. Main, and uses raised beds and square-foot gardening that make growing easy; no-tilling, digging, or weeding necessary. The beds come in 4’x8’, 4’x4’, and 4’x2’ sizes, and prices range from $50 for the season to no charge at all.
| Bed Size | Fee for the Season |
|---|---|
| 4’x8′ | $50.00 |
| 4’x4′ | $25.00 |
| 4’x2’* | $12.50 |
| There is no charge for families at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. | |
| *4’x2′ beds are not stand alone. They are 1/2 of a 4’x4′ bed. | |
Space is limited so register early. Beds are provided on a first-come-first-served basis.
Appanoose County
Sieda’s Seeds of Hope program offers three sites in Appanoose County where residents can find space to garden.
The Zinnia Community Garden is located at 541 N. 12th Street in Centerville, IA. 4’x4′ foot raised beds on legs and 4’x8′ foot raised beds on the ground are available at this site. There are no fees for participating in this garden. They are available on a first-come first serve basis although requests from households at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and households in the neighborhood are given priority.
The Ever Greene Community Garden located at 537 N. 4th Street is new this season and is currently under construction and taking applications. This garden is dedicated to the memory of Robert “Bob” Greene, who as an active volunteer in the community, helped begin the Sieda Seeds of Hope program.
Raised beds in this garden will also be in the 4’x4′ or 4’x8′ foot configurations. There are no fees for participating in the garden but households at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and households in the neighborhood will be given priority. In addition to the raised beds, we plan to use this site as a teaching garden and a test site for alternative growing methods. It will feature a children’s garden, accessible gardening and plans are progressing toward extended season gardening with a possible greenhouse.
Centerville residents interested in gardening at any of these locations may contact the Seeds of Hope program at the Sieda Community Action Resource Center, 111 N. Main Street, Centerville, IA, or applying on the Seeds of Hope program page.
In addition to the community gardens, the Seeds of Hope program provides raised bed gardens on legs, plants, seeds, and educational classes to low-income and senior housing locations and the 18-80 Club congregate meal site in Centerville. This portion of the program focuses on addressing the food insecurity experienced by many elderly and disabled residents in our state and encouraging healthy outdoor physical and social activity through gardening. Participating sites include 18-80 Club, Oak Lawn Apartments, Pleasant View Place Apartments, and the New Focus Sheltered Workshop.