Benefits of a Community Garden

When I was a child in the late 1970s, I used to sometimes visit my apartment-dwelling aunt for the weekend. Even though she didn't have a yard, she did have a garden that we visited sometimes. She rented a space in a community garden to grow her own vegetables.

Today, community gardens are seeing resurgence, as more people begin to grow their own food. People want to save money, eat healthy food, and go green.

Community gardens can help anyone to achieve these goals, whether they live in an apartment, condominium, or houseboat. Depending on how the garden is set up, gardeners may grow food communally, or they might have their own individual plots. Either way, they have the opportunity to use land that they otherwise wouldn't have access to.

Community gardens also serve to bring people together. A garden might be a communal project for a school or apartment complex, or it might bring together people from the neighborhood in a local park. People might work on projects together (especially ornamental portions of the garden), or they might just enjoy working side by side in their individual plots. They're getting outside of their own homes and getting to know other people.

Another benefit is that community gardens may provide learning opportunities. Some offer formal classes and workshops, but gardeners may also learn from each other, sharing the best techniques for growing, or which varieties of tomato will grow best in that particular area.

Finally, community gardens can also be used to help people in need. Historically, community gardens have been used to grow extra food in wartime or during economic depression. Today, many gardens grow food for local food banks, or will distribute food directly to people in the neighborhood. Community gardens can also help people in need learn to grow their own food, perhaps providing seeds and tools to start with. The community is then helping people to become more self-sufficient.

The American Community Garden Association has a searchable directory of community gardens in the United States, as well as resources for organizing a community garden. You can also check with your local Parks and Recreation department or your county extension office to find out if there is a community garden in your area.

Community gardens do usually charge a membership fee or space rent for using the garden. In Portland, Oregon, for instance, the cost is $50 per year for a 20 foot by 20 foot plot, or $25 per year for a 10 X 20 plot (plus a $10 deposit).

SOURCES
The American Community Garden Association, "What Is a Community Garden?", http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/
Portland Parks and Recreation, "Community Gardens", http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=39846