Vegetables are the freshest from your own garden
There are many benefits to organizing and participating in a community garden. Community gardens can be made in any setting--rural, suburban or urban--virtually anywhere that people can find to plant their own flowers and vegetables. Reducing time from garden to table will help make your family healthier. Community gardening allows you to have organic food, get good exercise and lets you see the power of your community in action. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Get The Word Out
1. Getting the word out
Call your friends and neighbors to see who would be interested in participating in a community garden.
2. Developing a strategy
Set up a meeting and develop a strategy for approaching your local government or community representatives about designating an area for local gardeners. Write letters to the city council or make calls to the mayor or local parks department.
3. No dogs in the garden
Research how other communities have set up gardens. Ask about rules like DOGS NOT PERMITTED or ORGANIC ITEMS ONLY. Discuss the goals of the garden and everyone's individual responsibility toward meeting those goals. Solicit information about known areas that would be adaptable and if water can be supplied.
4. Tiller
Gather your resources. Find out if the local parks department will provide mulch from tree chippers, or a porta-potty for the gardeners. Sometimes they will even till and mark off the plots for community members. Find out if additional insurance will be necessary and ask if they can provide fencing to keep out garden pests or strangers. Ask the county Cooperative Extension where you can obtain a soil testing kit to evaluate organic needs for a good growing environment.
5. Master gardener for continuing education
If you have a master gardener in your county or a cooperative extension agent, ask them to visit your garden for continuing tips and ideas. Make sure everyone is aware of the work responsibilities for after the harvest, like removing screens, netting, trellises, etc.
Tags: local parks, local parks department, parks department, participating community, participating community garden, your garden
