Featured Resource: Community Garden Planning

The calendar may say November, but as any passionate gardener will tell you, NOW is the perfect time to start thinking about breaking ground next spring on a community garden project.

Community gardens can be a great way to bring communities together and provide many benefits for citizens of all ages:

• Fresh Produce. Gardens provide fresh, nutritious produce for many families who couldn’t otherwise afford it, improving their diet and their overall health. They also relieve hunger by donating their excess produce to food pantries.

• Healthy Lifestyles. Gardening is a chance to enjoy fresh air and healthy outdoor exercise. They provide a peaceful retreat easing stress. From a mental aspect, growing a vegetable garden may be a way for adults and children to cope with boredom and help families gain a sense of security.

• A Cleaner Environment. The plants in a community garden add oxygen to the air and help reduce air pollution.

• Stronger Communities. Sharing a community garden gives people a chance to connect with their neighbors. Gardeners also feel more personally invested in the places where they live, gaining sense of ownership and community spirit.

• Educational Opportunities. Working in a community garden is a good way for kids to learn about where food comes from. Hands-on activities like gardening can encourage children to participate in a way that will enhance learning. Gardening can teach young, preschool- and elementary-aged children, to reinforce skills such as measurements, addition, subtraction, counting, sorting into categories and colors.

So… how do you get started with your own community garden project? SDSU Extension has a great resource with considerations, guidelines, suggested best practices, and success story examples at https://extension.sdstate.edu/garden-yard/community-gardens. Check it out and get planning!