Bill McKelvey MU Extension Associate
Healthy Lifestyle Initiative
What is a community garden ?
Introduction A community garden means many things to many people . For some , a community garden is a place to grow food , flowers and herbs in the company of friends and neighbors . For others , it ' s a place to reconnect with nature or get physical exercise . Some use community gardens because they lack adequate space at their house or apartment to have a garden . Others take part in community gardening to build or revitalize a sense of community among neighbors . Community gardens also take many shapes and forms . From a 50-by-50-foot church garden that supplies a local food pantry with fresh produce to a vacant city lot divided into plots and gardened by neighbors , community gardens reflect the needs and the desires of people directly involved in their management and upkeep . As such , there are many , many ways to organize and manage a community garden .
Regardless of why people choose to take part in a community garden or how a garden is organized , the activity of gardening with others can be both rewarding and challenging . Our hope is that this guide will help you manage the challenges that come your way and experience the rewards of community gardening . This guide is intended to be a resource for gardeners , garden organizers , extension staff and other agency professionals who want to start a new community garden , enhance an existing garden or assist community members with starting and managing their own community garden .
Characteristics of neighborhood community gardens This guide provides a framework for organizing and managing different types of community gardens with a primary focus on neighborhood community gardens , which typically share the following characteristics . First , neighborhood community gardens are typically located on land that is divided into different plots for individual and family use . The land may be borrowed , rented or owned by the gardeners , and gardeners generally prepare , plant , maintain and harvest from their own plots . Gardeners and their family , friends and neighbors usually consume produce from the gardens rather than selling it . Gardeners often share tools , water and compost , along with seeds and plants .
Second , neighborhood community gardens are often organized and managed by the gardeners themselves , have one or more identified leaders responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the garden and have some type of a garden committee to share in the work . Because community gardens come with a host of responsibilities that range from making plot assignments and keeping the grass mowed to resolving conflicts and enforcing the rules , things tend to run more smoothly when one or more people are in charge and gardeners themselves take an active role keeping the garden in shape .
Finally , in addition to occupying vacant neighborhood lots , neighborhood community gardens are sometimes found at churches , social service agencies and other nonprofit organizations , including food pantries and food banks . These gardens may involve both neighbors from the surrounding area and the members or clients of a particular agency or institution . They sometimes incorporate educational , job-training and entrepreneurial programming .
Other types of community gardens In addition to the typical neighborhood community garden where plots are subdivided and cared for by individuals or families , community gardens exist in a variety of other forms to serve a number of functions . The examples below represent different types of community gardens that are distinguished in part by their purpose and participants .
� Youth / school gardens expose young people to gardening and nature , give them the opportunity to do some of their own gardening and / or educate them in a variety of subject areas . These gardens are typically associated with a formal or semi-formal program that incorporates classroom lessons with hands-on gardening activities . Gardens may be located on school grounds , at a community center , in neighborhoods or on other parcels of land .
� Entrepreneurial / job training market gardens are typically established by nonprofit organizations or other agencies to teach business or job skills to youth or other groups . They grow and sell the produce they raise . Proceeds from the sale of garden products are used to pay the participants for their work . Programs typically rely on outside sources of funding to offset costs .
� Communal gardens are typically organized and gardened by a group of people who share in the work and rewards . Plots are not subdivided for individual or family use . Produce is distributed among group members . Sometimes produce is donated to a local food pantry .
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