Interested in growing a home garden but uncertain where to start?  Come to the Learning Garden Sunday (Jan. 29) at 1 p.m.

It's the first of free gardening classes to be held at Peace Hall (Sims Lane & Grand Blvd. across from Sims Park in New Port Richey) over the coming weeks.

The free classes will share many possibilities such as: how to make compost, build a rain barrel and attract birds to the garden. After six weeks, participants will have seedlings and the basic garden knowledge to continue growing at home.

The Learning Garden is not going to be a typical community garden where individuals have separate plots. It is a cooperative garden with people reaping what they sow, said Port Richey resident Angela Hadley, who is one of the people helping with the garden.

“(The goal) is to encourage home gardens like the old Victory Gardens …it is strictly to encourage people to grow food in their own gardens and if we can encourage more people to adopt a cooperative life style, we have achieved our goal,” Hadley said.

Some of the learning garden participants, including Hadley, are part of Occupy New Port Richey. Hadley said the garden is in part an effort take back people’s control of the food supply. The garden is about building a local, sustainable food supply. Plus, gardening saves money on food costs at the grocery store, Hadley said.

The garden addresses concerns about the food supply. One concern is genetically modified foods; the seeds planted in the garden will be local, heirloom seeds. Other concerns include corporate control of large agricultural businesses and the public trading of food commodities, Hadley said.

“The Occupy movement is all about more cooperation and less competition…We go to each other and help. It is not like you are trying to grow a garden by yourself. We want everyone to be successful,” Hadley said.

The Learning Garden plot is owned by the City of New Port Richey. Individuals who want to participate must sign a permit and a waiver, so the city is not liable if someone gets hurt.

There is no cost to participate, but vegetables cannot be grown for resale. The initial permit is good for one year, but can be revoked if someone does not follow the guidelines, said city Parks and Recreation Director Elaine Smith.

The Learning Garden group hopes to expand to add more gardens at community organizations and churches. They would follow a similar plan of teaching garden basics at each site, Hadley said.

Other garden learning opportunities within driving distance of New Port Richey:

1.   From Garden to Table, Feb. 4, from 9 a.m. until noon at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs. 

• Introduction to vegetable gardening, composting, and preparing fresh garden vegetables for eating. The workshop is free, but class size is limited to 50, so register 727.582.2109.

2. Organic Gardening,  Feb. 9, 2 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., at the Palm Harbor   Library, 2330 Nebraska Ave.

• Master gardener Jim Kovaleski will share permaculture principles and practices (self-sufficient and sustainable agricultural ecosystems). Admission is free, but space is limited. Please call 727.582.2100 to reserve a space.

3.  Spring Vegetable Garden,  Feb. 18 at 10 a.m., Home Depot, 10017 U.S. 19, Port Richey.

• Join the Pasco Cooperative Extension for one hour of ideas on growing vegetables in the spring followed by a question and answer session.