Starting a community garden might sound a bit intimidating at first, but the name alone should offer some relief. Think of it as a fun way for you and your friends and neighbors (those you know and those you don’t) to work together towards a common goal. Not only will you reap the benefits of a bountiful and healthy harvest, but you can have fun in the process! While you may know nothing about gardening, it is likely that there will be some in the community who do have a green thumb; so through collaboration you can figure out what needs to be done in order to get it started. In fact, keep reading for 5 reasons to help you consider joining forces to create a community garden.
Shared Labor – When your life is busy, the idea of adding one more thing like a garden can be a bit overwhelming, but when you have a group of people who come together to plan, work, and share the maintainance, it becomes much more manageable.
Affordability – Open a checking account specifically for the garden. At the beginning of each season, have everyone add $25-$50 to the account and this will likely cover your garden expenses for the entire year. Talk about cost-effective!
Vacation – Spring and summer bring vacation time. Rather than worrying about coming home to a dead garden, there’s a group of people who can cover for you while you’re out of town on business or family trips.
Trying new things – When you’re planting a larger community garden, you’re more likely to try planting some things that you wouldn’t try on your own. Have everyone contribute their favorites to be included in the harvest.
Community – This is a great time to meet your neighbors! Grea
t conversations happen as you dig in the dirt or pull pesky weeds together. Commit to working on your garden once a week, followed by a dinner together. It’s a great time to catch up and to have something to look forward to each week.
So if you’re thinking about gardening but it feels overwhelming to go at it alone, consider gathering several friends from your community or checking out one of the local community garden organizations. The OrganWise Guys even have a fun book on this topic called Growing a Community. Check it out and share with the kiddos who you may involve in your community garden,
If you are already involved in a community garden, we’d love to hear more about your reasons for getting involved!
