“Gardeners 92130” – Uniting Gardening Enthusiasts

“Gardeners 92130” – Uniting Gardening Enthusiasts in 92130

Carmel Valley has a new garden club and I would like to tell you about it.   My name is Stevie Hall; I am president of Gardeners92130.  In December of 2011, I sent a letter to the editor of the Carmel Valley News saying I wanted to start a garden club and asking others with the same interest to respond to my email address (stevieinsandiego@gmail.com).

I am relatively new to gardening (only 12 years) and had increasingly been wanting to meet other gardeners in my community to find out what they were planting and experiencing in their gardens and to get new ideas about what to plant in mine.  Our first meeting was held in January 2012, at my house with eight eager gardeners of all levels of experience in attendance.  At first we were stumped to find a unifying name for our group but finally came up with Gardeners92130, an all-inclusive name that suits our several communities.  I then set out to get us admitted to the California Garden Clubs, Inc., and National Garden Clubs Inc., which would also allow us to be recognized by the federal government as a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity.  Instead of getting instant gratification with these goals, it took until  the following September for all the “I’s” to be dotted and the “T’s” to be crossed but the October, 2012 meeting was our first as a fully-accredited non-profit garden club

Along the way, we’ve had speakers and programs about water conservation and succulents, aquaponics, vermiculture, attracting birds to our backyards, roses, and square-foot gardening.  For 2013, to date we have visits planned to Seabreeze organic farm and Weidner’s Gardens and speakers on orchids and birds (again).  Our goal for 2013 is to identify a community service project for our members to support.  As a young organization, we are eager for new members and welcome all gardeners, regardless of geography or skill level.  Our meetings are typically held from 1:00 to 2:30p on third Thursdays at the Ocean Air Recreation Center, 4770 Fairport Way, San Diego 92130.  Please come join us.

______________________________________________________________

I am a California native, born in Santa Monica.  My husband, Ned Hall, and I  moved back to California from Connecticut in 1987, living first in Rancho Santa Fe, then Solana Beach and, in 2000, moved to the St. Augustine section of Torrey Hills.  My very first interest in having a garden and my very first garden was when we moved to our home in Torrey Hills.  Along the way I’ve become a certified consulting Rosarian and belong to three rose societies.  My rose obsession began to wane a few years ago as I’ve become more and more interested in growing fruit, vegetables, herbs and now succulents.  I am an obsessive reader and whenever a new gardening idea begins to beckon me, I head to the (Solana Beach) library for whatever books they have on the subject.  I am eager for every growing season.  The thing about a garden is that plants just want to grow and if they get the food and water they need, the possibilities are infinite.  Just thinking about it makes me want to get outside and get my hands in the dirt.