More About Community Gardening

Community gardens are becoming more popular with each passing season. Not only do they provide each participating family with no-cost fruits and vegetables, they beautify neighborhoods; provide a means for exercise and social interaction and much more! Volunteers come from all walks of life and participate for different reasons.

According to the American Community Gardening Association, there are in excess of 18,000 community gardens, in the U.S. and Canada, alone. They are located on rooftops, vacant city lots (with city permission), rural plots of land and almost anywhere raised garden beds, can be constructed.

Some of the smaller community gardens have learned to utilize precious space, by practicing 'vertical gardening'. Given the proper support there are several vegetables that grow just as well 'up' as they do 'out'. These veggies include: tomatoes, some varieties of beans, cucumbers and strawberries.

This type of gardening can be achieved by using a simple trellis, hanging planters, fencing, stackable pots, etc.

Community gardening is an excellent way for children to learn about agriculture, math and nutrition. Many schools or individual classrooms have incorporated gardening activities, into their curriculum, for this very reason.

Community gardening is therapeutic for everyone. This is especially true for the elderly or differently-abled garden enthusiast. Modifications can be performed to make gardening possible, for those with mobility issues.

Modifications include such things as raised beds, hanging pots on a pulley system, benches in the garden, which provide convenient resting spots and grouping together plants of contrasting colors, to aid those with any type of visual impairment.

Most local cooperative extension agencies play a big role in helping fledgling community gardens get off their feet. A good example of this can be found in the Atlanta Georgia area.

With the help of the Community Garden Initiative (much like the CEA), Atlanta boasts community gardens in excess of 175! They have gone one step further by putting into action, an 'off-site community garden option, of sorts.

This option is called 'Plant a Row for the Hungry' and truly is a wonderful idea. In a nutshell, area gardeners are asked to plant an extra row or two of produce, in their own garden.

At harvest time, these same gardeners simply drop off these veggies to predetermined community agencies, who in turn distribute them to needy families.

The 2006 goal for the campaign was to grow 20,000 pounds of produce. In 2005 more than 18,000 pounds of nutritious vegetables were distributed to those in need.

Now that really IS community gardening, not to mention community concern, at its best!