The Community Garden: Building Community Roots One Seed at a Time

I am not sure where the blame lies with my sudden interest in green living. Maybe the blame resides in the fact that with each birthday I get a little older and a little wiser. Or maybe it has much less to do with wisdom, but more to do with the fear that is fed to viewers of the nightly news. Panic of global warming and an impending apocalyptic global catastrophe because of bad choices can send many a person into reconsidering their current consuming lifestyle.

Over the past few months I have found myself immersed in this idea that humans are more connected to our earth that we imagine. Seemingly overnight, I have gone from the plastic bag shopper to the more environmentally-conscious reusable bag shopper. Instead of making numerous trips to the waste basket, I think about how things can be reused and have even started utilizing my trash company's recycling services. The point of my rambling? During this fledgling journey I have come across an interesting and engaging concept known as the community garden and am excited to share what I learned with all my readers.

I am not sure exactly where I first heard of the community garden idea - probably a magazine or on television. But it stuck with me and I soon learned what potential a community garden has for the betterment of our communities.

WHAT is a community garden?

The description is reasonably self-explanatory, but let me throw out a precise definition just for fun.

A community garden, as defined by the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA), is a piece of land gardened by a group of people.

This piece of land can be in any type of a community setting. It can be in a rural development that is interested in developing a wide-expanse of land into a fertile, productive green-spot or it can be a roof-top garden in the heart of one of America's bustling cities like New York or Chicago. The where is not nearly as important as the why of a community garden.

Why can a community garden help a neighborhood?

A community garden can help a neighborhood flourish in many ways from reducing crime, revitalizing a run-down area, and providing volunteer opportunities for area youth organizations. But in a time when healthy eating, budget-friendly food choices and community cohesiveness is essential, the community garden is a way to establish these ideas.

Eating Healthy - The community garden can provide fresh, more nutritious produce right at your fingertips. Having fruits and vegetables that you personally know were grown without chemicals and without being shipped from other parts of the world reduces the carbon footprint and helps you eat a healthier, cleaner, chemical-free diet.

Reduce Food Costs - A well-maintained garden can save you money. According to the National Gardening Association estimations, a garden of at least 400 square feet planted with the most popular vegetables could yield up to 360lbs of produce. If average in-season store produce is being sold for $1.25 per pound, then the example garden would produce $500 worth of produce!

A Common Cause - Community gardening brings friends and family together for a common cause that is fun and exciting. Producing your own food encourages self-reliance and give us confidence that we can do anything if we work diligently.

How to get started?

First, visit the ACGA website. They have a list of established community gardens in every area of the United States. There may already be a garden in the area where you live that you may want to join.

The ACGA also has an extensive list of helpful ideas and guides on how to start your own garden. Here are just a few things to consider:

Decide who will be included in your garden. Will it be limited to family? Will it be a garden in a neighborhood's common ground that families from several streets will participate in? Will you be working with an organization?

If you are preparing a garden that extends beyond family, get a planning committee together to determine the following - garden size, type of garden (vegetable, fruit, flowers, etc).

Set up guidelines. What are the specific responsibilities of each person who is a part of the garden? Lay out the expectations of upkeep for each plot. This is especially important for large neighborhood plots. The idea of the garden is to beautify the neighborhood. This cannot be achieved if the garden is not kept up to a certain standard.

Determine the yearly or monthly cost of the plot upkeep including tools, seeds or young plants, watering costs, fencing, etc. Determine how these cost will be absorbed by the participants. Typically, each family will bring their own tools and plant their own seeds, but a yearly or monthly fee is usually paid to help with the watering costs, etc.

Include children in the planting process. Children's gardens are wonderful ways to add eclectic mixtures and let children get a sense of being self-reliant and productive. Children enjoy watching their seedlings grow into full-grown plants. Plus whimsical touches in the forms of potted plants that are grown in their hand painted pots and stepping stones filled with handprints make the garden a true representation of a WHOLE community.

Conclusion

There are many things to consider when planning and producing a community garden. The gardens can be small starts or expansive masterpieces that cover an acre of land. Whatever garden you choose to start, take time and care with the planning. The ACGA website has an extensive list of ideas and considerations when starting a garden. Check them out for more ideas. Also don't forget your local nurseries. They are the best experts on what works in your region.

Resources:

American Community Garden Association - www.communitygarden.org
National Gardening Association - www.gardening.org