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Growing a Community… and a Garden

Growing a Community… and a Garden. Lisa Valdivia Extension Associate The Cooperative Extension Program at NC A&T State University. Muldoon, M.F., Taylor, A. K., Richman, N., Fisk, J., (2013), Innovations in Local Food Enterprise:

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Growing a Community… and a Garden

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  1. Growing a Community… and a Garden Lisa Valdivia Extension Associate The Cooperative Extension Program at NC A&T State University

  2. Muldoon, M.F., Taylor, A. K., Richman, N., Fisk, J., (2013), Innovations in Local Food Enterprise: Fresh ideas for a just & profitable food system. Arlington, VA: Wallace Center at Winrock International

  3. Neighborhood Community Gardens • Divided into plots for individual and family use. • Land may be borrowed, rented or owned by the gardeners. • Gardeners generally prepare, plant, maintain and harvest from their own plots. Briggs Avenue Community Garden Durham, NC

  4. Communal Gardens • Organized and gardened by a group of people who share in the work and rewards. • Produce is distributed among group members. • Sometimes produce is donated to a local food pantry. Piney Wood Chapel Missionary Baptist Church Community Garden Powellsville, NC

  5. Demonstration Gardens • Often open to the general public for display and classes. • Managed and maintained by garden members or a participating gardening group such as Extension Master Gardeners Making Pitt Fit Community Garden Greenville, NC

  6. Food Pantry Gardens • May be established at a church, food pantry, food bank or other location. • Produce is often grown by volunteers and donated The Lord’s Acre Fairview, NC

  7. Therapy Gardens • Provide horticultural therapy • A trained horticulture therapist often leads programs and classes. • Gardens may be located at hospitals, senior centers, prisons or other places. Photo by Sarah Harmon Peterson Rehabilitation Hospital Garden

  8. School & Youth Gardens • Students build a culture of ownership and stewardship at their school • Garden activities help infuse lessons with nutrition, science concepts, environmental awareness, and healthy behaviors. George Putnam School Garden 1891

  9. Entrepreneurial/Job Training Market Gardens • Teach job skills to youth or other groups. • Grow and sell the produce, honey, etc. that they produce • Proceeds may pay participants for their work. • Programs typically rely on outside sources of funding to offset costs. Growing Change, youth group Scotland County, NC

  10. Hybrid Community Gardens Briggs Avenue Community Garden Durham, NC

  11. Starting a Community-Supported Garden • Determine Interest • Involve Your Community • Define Garden Goals • Establish Roles & Rules • Gather Resources • Develop Garden Site • Educate. Celebrate!

  12. Determine Interest • Does your community want a community garden? • Is there broad support for it?

  13. Involve Your Community • Invite all levels of participation • Inform the community, increase visibility! • Need core group of people Rather than creating a garden for the community. Create a garden with the community. Photo from Joni Torres

  14. Community Organizing Core Beliefs • Many ways to start/manage a community garden • Engage & empower those affected by the garden at every stage of planning, building, & managing garden • Don’t do for others what they can do for themselves • People are motivated by their own self interests, find out what those interests are • Each community member has something to contribute Source -- Growing Communities Curriculum: Community Building and Organizational Development through Community Gardening by Jeanette Abi-Nader, David Buckley, Kendall Dunnigan and Kristen Markley

  15. Individual Capacity Inventory Skills Knowledge Things you can do with your hands that you want to share. Things you have knowledge of that you want to share. Passion Connections Things you really care about that will move you to action. Important relationships you have in your community. Adapted fom ABCD, Community Resources Assessment PPT . www.abcdinstitute.org

  16. Potential Partners • Cooperative Extension Agents • Local government • Parks & Recreation …

  17. Define Goals A successful garden project starts with a good plan! Example mission statement …to encourage community involvement, promote stewardship of the earth and provide food and education for ourselves and our neighbors in need.

  18. Important Questions to Consider • Who will work in the garden? • Who will the garden serve? • Who will manage the garden? • What will be the name of the garden? UNC Asheville Community Garden

  19. Establish Roles & Rules • Form a steering/leadership group (coordinator, treasurer, secretary, etc.) Keep it simple! • Establish a decision making process • Choose a communication strategy

  20. Create gardener guidelines and garden rules collectively • Don’t reinvent the wheel Gardener Guidelines Examples A plot cannot be gardened until payment of fees and a signed agreement and liability release is received and approved. Do not apply anything to, or pick anything from another person's plot without their consent. All gardeners are required to volunteer at least 5 hours per year to help maintain the garden.

  21. Gather Resources • Find a sponsor! • Fundraise creatively • Secure in-kind donations

  22. Develop the Site • Start small! Basic site requirements Identify land owner At least a 3 year lease Central/visible location 6-8 full hours of sunlight Soil test for nutrients & heavy metals Consider past land use Availability of water Relatively flat with good drainage

  23. Educate. Celebrate! • Offer frequent educational opportunities • Visit other community gardens • Work, eat and celebrate together!

  24. Review • Determine Interest • Involve Your Community • Define Goals • Establish Roles & Rules • Gather Resources • Develop Site • Educate. Celebrate!

  25. North Carolina Community Garden Partners www.NCCGP.org

  26. Additional Resources • NC Cooperative Extension • Local county offices http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/local-county-center/ • NC Community Garden Portal http://nccommunitygardens.ces.ncsu.edu • NCCGP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NCCGP • NC community garden listserv Go to www.NCCGP.org Contact  listserv sign-up • American Community Gardening Association www.communitygarden.org • Other community gardens!

  27. Lisa Valdivia Extension Associate The Cooperative Extension Program, NC A&T State University NCCGP Board Member eaposer@ncat.edu 336.285.4622

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