Cooperative community gardening is a way for urban dwellers to have a plot of ground in which to plant a garden. For many it is a way to provide fresh vegetables for their families, for others it is a way of becoming involved with neighbors in creating viable land use where a deteriorated vacant lot existed.
Most cities have vacant and abandoned lots in residential neighborhoods, and many abandoned lots become the property of the city and can be turned over to a responsible group to reclaim the land for productive use.
A Successful Community Garden Model
One example of a successful community garden organization is the Capital District Community Garden (CDCG) in upstate New York. This organization which began in 1975 now oversees 48 organic gardens in these cities: Albany, Cohoes, Latham, North Greenbush, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Troy. This not-for-profit organization oversees the maintenance of the gardens, conducts educational workshops each year, and provides locally grown produce to low income neighborhoods through the Veggie Mobile - a produce market on wheels.
CDCG has developed a strong relationship with the city governments that can provide some services and supplies to community gardeners. In Albany, the water is supplied by the city through connection to fire hydrants at most of the gardens. The city also provides mulch and compost for the gardens.
What Makes Cooperative Community Gardens Successful
Some of the things that contribute to a successful community garden are sharing the common tasks that maintain a positive presence in the neighborhood. Some of these common tasks are:
- picking up litter around the perimeter of the lot
- weeding and cutting grass in common areas
- planting perennial flowers along the borders in public view
- individuals maintaining their plots by weeding and harvesting
- harvesting crops regularly and donating excess harvest
- providing information for those new to gardening to be successful
How Community Gardens Build Community
The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA), whose mission is "to build community by increasing and enhancing community gardening and greening across the United States and Canada”, states these benefits of having community gardens in a neighborhood:
- provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development
- stimulates social interaction
- encourages self-reliance
- produces nutritious food
- reduces family food budgets
- creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education
- preserves green space
- provides opportunities for inter-generational and cross-cultural connections
How to Join a Community Garden
Enrollment for new garden plots usually occurs in the first quarter of the new year. The Capital District Community Garden’s enrollment for new gardeners is the end of February, allowing time for the new gardeners to begin planning gardens and ordering seeds for the spring planting season. Annual fees for garden plots are usually minimal (around $20/year) and help sustain the organization.
If a cooperative community garden organization does not exist, starting one begins with finding a vacant lot, determining ownership, and organizing others to become involved in this cooperative effort to reclaim distressed vacant land.
Youth organizations can also work cooperatively with the city to provide access to vacant lots in which the city youth develop the abandoned lots. This type of constructive summer activity will not only contribute to the youth having a sense of ownership, but also to the vitality of urban neighborhoods.
Related Articles:
Gardening Tips for Small Urban Gardens
Reference:
American Community Gardening Association
Barbara Shema - Barbara Shema is a freelance writer and artist from the USA currently living in Europe to teach English as a foreign language.
