Dania Beach PATCH

Farmer Noah Siegel

Dania Beach PATCH at a Glance

Farmers: Established by the Dania Beach CRA, PATCH stands for Dania Beach People’s Access to Community Horticulture, a community gardens program
Where they’re located: 1201 W Dania Beach Blvd., Dania Beach
Website: PATCH Garden
What they grow: Greens, herbs, fruits and veggies in grow bags
Where they sell: At their farmstand

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Know Your Farmer: Noah Siegel, The Dania Beach PATCH

In 2012, The Dania Beach PATCH (People’s Access to Community Horticulture), a community garden and market, was established and quickly became a source of fresh, organic produce and educational and economic activities for the surrounding neighborhoods. During the pandemic, the garden temporarily closed based on federal guidelines, and severe flooding in April and July 2023 damaged much of the growing operation.  The Fruitful Field, which operates gardens in Pompano Beach and the Patricia Davis Community Garden, started a collaborative management partnership with Dania Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency (DBCRA) in 2024, aimed at providing local organic and educational opportunities through growing produce. Since then, the efforts of DBCRA director Michael Chen and the city commission’s support have reinvigorated the original goal of the PATCH to become a neighborhood gathering space and place for people to get fresh produce, meet friends, and attend workshops and other social activities. Farmer Noah Siegel talked about what’s happening today at this urban garden, which has reopened for the season.

Tell us about your background. I started growing at The Fruitful Field while completing my undergraduate degree in non-profit finance. I went on to get a Master’s Degree in Regenerative Agriculture and am currently working towards my Doctorate in Sustainable Agriculture. I’ve traveled across the globe to increase my knowledge about the best-growing practices. My goal and passion is to grow the most nutritious produce for our local communities and revitalize our food system.

How does The PATCH serve the community? The PATCH provides local fresh produce to our communities and serves as a beacon for educational opportunities for people wanting to learn about regenerative agriculture and its many methods. The Love Our Nation afterschool program meets regularly has a compost area, and has a plot to grow food here. They work with groups and often perform community service activities. In September, they provided fresh food baskets for 50 senior households in Dania Beach. The C.W. Thomas Community Center is working with The PATCH to incorporate gardening and social activities for their afterschool and senior programs. We have a growing community garden area whereby local residents can “lease” space and grow fresh food for their families. We are also grateful for support from the Community Foundation of Broward, which is funding our long-running Grow City Youth paid internship program for the 2024-25 season. This program, which has been operating since 2014, provides first-time job and leadership skills training while teaching youth about the local food system, from soil development to growing and processing produce.
 
We are adding a Fresh Food Box program that encourages residents to purchase a box of fresh produce for $20 with pickup on Tuesday afternoon. Online shoppers can pick up on Wednesday mornings, and we plan to hold pop-up markets at various Dania Beach locations on Thursday afternoons. Our markets will be held on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, and there will be workshops and other activities throughout the season. We welcome EBT/SNAP cardholders and participate in the Feeding Florida/USDA Fresh Access Bucks program. This program provides a 50% discount on Florida-grown produce when paying with an EBT/SNAP card. This means that if your total sale is $20, cardholders are charged $10.

Do you hold regular events and if so, what and when? The Fruitful Field, PATCH staff and dedicated volunteers have spent the summer rebuilding the PATCH. We are transitioning to raised bed gardening, which will help with seasonal flooding and allow the site to increase production. We are working with the City CRA Team to add more fruit trees to help provide produce throughout the hot summer months.  
 
You rely on volunteers to help. What are you looking for? We welcome individuals and groups from Dania Beach and the surrounding area to participate in volunteer activities. People can register at www.HandsonBroward.org or reach out to us directly at info@thefruitfulfield.org. Upcoming activities will include seeding, weeding, harvesting and market support. The best way to support us is to tour our garden and support our market through purchases. Ask questions, and learn about the importance of creating local food systems. Spread the word about how local gardens dedicated to growing and distributing food help build the physical, mental and economic health of our communities.

The Dania Beach PATCH
1201 W Dania Beach Blvd.
thepatchgarden.com
Currently onsite from 8am-noon on weekdays.
Markets on the second and fourth Saturdays beginning in December.