13 replies to this topic

[Eiza]

Has anyone tried to start a community garden? The downtown area in my city attracts a huge number of homeless people. One of the areas where they hang out is a large, open field. I can't help thinking about what a great garden spot it would make. There are no tall buildings nearby, so it gets lots of sun, and it seems to me that it also has a built-in labor force. I could put those "will work for food" signs to the test. The problem of course is that I don't own the field. I'm not certain who does. I'm wondering if it's as simple as contacting the owner, or will I have to deal with any liability and licensing issues as well.

[keywestkeely]

Community gardens are wonderful--and I think that, with times the way they are and food prices going up, they're absolutely necessary.

I recently saw a feature about community gardens on TV--I believe it was the "Victory Garden" show on PBS.  I can't remember whether or not there were any zoning issues discussed --I believe that the creators of the garden just contacted the owner of the property.

[Bababooey]

I love this idea. I've seen seeing more and more community gardens when I travel, and it's a great idea. Not only does it provide a source of fresh, healthy produce, it also pulls the community together, ad is an excellent way to teach children about horticulture.

[mommymumbles]

We do not have one where we live, but I do like that idea. I have seen one or two in passing over the years, and always thought it seemed a nice way to meet people with like interests, spend a nice afternoon and enjoy fresh vegetables for a fraction of the market costs.

I wonder how difficult it would be to get one started? Maybe I will do some research on this idea, now that you have reminded me of it.

[Eiza]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'm encouraged to try to move forward with this. As I said, I'm lucky to live in an area where this isn't a new concept. There are even some people who have turned their entire front lawns into a garden. I'm going to try to connect with some people who have already done this so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel. i'll keep you all posted.

[Yoginitrish]

Community gardens are amazing. I once thought they were served for urban areas. There are a bunch in Philadelphia where I went to college. But it seems there are loads in the suburbs as well. It seems like a great way to learn about farming and build community!

[artistry]

Community gardens are a great idea. The gardens are a way for communities to lessen the cost of food and also to create a spirit of togetherness among neighbors. I understand that some cities have donated plots of land, so that the communities can grow the crops. Excellent idea all around.

[sashapisan]

Community Garden is necessary to attain food security and optimum health. Fresh produce like vegetables and fruits is fundamental to the human body to properly function and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The fresh greens and fruits are rich in  Vitamins and Minerals that provide important roles in the physiological metabolism and to vital functions in the body. Aside from that, antioxidants found in vegetables and fruits are also essential to strengthen our immune system to guard against cancer causing cells. Therefore the promotion of community garden  will surely refresh our well-being to stay healthy and highly productive.

[gangandealer]

I also really like the idea of community gardens, except for the fact that some people might not do work and then take more food than they need and don't deserve, which makes it unfair for the people who did work.

[kate]

artistry, on 11 October 2011 - 09:20 AM, said:

Community gardens are a great idea. The gardens are a way for communities to lessen the cost of food and also to create a spirit of togetherness among neighbors. I understand that some cities have donated plots of land, so that the communities can grow the crops. Excellent idea all around.

Yes, we now have several thriving community gardens in our small county, plus a food co-op, and I expect the movement to grow.  The first community garden offered parcels for a donation of $30 a season.  It was created on township-owned land and actually designed to give the wealthy lakefront-home folks and the summer people a sunny, level place to grow fresh veggies and flowers.  The designers, a local garden club, asked the township to donate part of the land as a "Plant a row for the hungry" program, and a local farmer donated hundreds of tomato and pepper plants for that section.  I took photos of the garden all season long.  It was absolutely gorgeous. The fragrance was heavenly. Gardeners are so creative!
After that success, other small towns took up the banner and now you have corn and tomatoes growing on formerly abandoned plots.  It's wonderful, actually.

[kate]

mommymumbles, on 09 October 2011 - 11:46 AM, said:

We do not have one where we live, but I do like that idea. I have seen one or two in passing over the years, and always thought it seemed a nice way to meet people with like interests, spend a nice afternoon and enjoy fresh vegetables for a fraction of the market costs.

I wonder how difficult it would be to get one started? Maybe I will do some research on this idea, now that you have reminded me of it.

It's certainly more complicated that just tagging a field and inviting gardeners, but it is very do-able.  Some of the things to consider include the fertility of the land, access to water -- since gardeners will all be there at different times to water their gardens!  Also, unless you're in the city, you'll have to build a high fence to keep out the deer, raccoons and other hungry varmints. You'll have to consider zoning ordinances, since you'll be performing a non-conforming use (agriculture) on land that's likely not zoned ag.  Who will till the land each spring? Who's responsible for drainage? Who will fertilize? Provide mulch?  Do participants bring their own tools, hoses, seeds, mulch, fertilizer?  Who watches for intruders or vandals?  Who cleans up after season?  What will you do about plots that aren't gardened and get all weedy?
In our case, the township board provided a lot of the infrastructure work through a couple of grants and donations.  The garden club also received a grant from our local casino board, and they bought extra soil, seeds, truckloads of mulch and other niceties.
As long as a responsible person is in charge, you should be all right.  You might consider running the idea past any group or organization that might be interested. Good luck!

[artistry]

....Kate, thanks so much for sharing that information about the garden. Your description was so vivid. I was born on my grandmom's farm. So I can relate to things growing somewhat. "o)

[kate]

One thing that amazed me about the first community garden in our county was how some of the gardeners treated their plot much like an artist's palette.  One gal planted basil at all four corners, which made for a beautiful and fragrant gateway into her little patch.  She lined one side with sunflowers and another with zinnias, then inside she planted red and yellow tomatoes, yellow squash and lots of green peppers as well as purple cabbages and eggplants, so by late summer, she had such gorgeous color everywhere.  One lady put in a little bench and a section of white picket fence.  It was a marvelous effort!

[mariaandrea]

I'm lucky enough to live in a city that has had community gardens since the 70's. In fact, I'm just down the road from the very first and I've been lucky enough, again, to have a plot there. They're called P-Patches in Seattle, named after the farmer whose land became the first garden.  While the rules, zoning requirements and all that are going to be different depending on where you live, the city of Seattle does have nifty resources for people who want to start a community garden, showing the process step by step. You could use it as a good guideline for what needs to be done. This is a really great page with information that's applicable no matter where you are: http://www.seattle.g...patch/start.htm