Bloom to grow: community gardening provides education, enrichment and eggplants all in one plot.In Evanston, Ill., Tom Richardson Tom Richardson (born August 11, 1870, Byfleet, Surrey; died July 2, 1912, Chambéry, France) was one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time and certainly the most prolific in terms of wicket-taking feats, largely owing to his amazing stamina and appetite for work, which allowed grows tomatoes in the 20 foot by 20 foot plot he has tended for more than 30 years in James Park James Park VC (1835 -14 June 1858) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. . In Portland, Ore., Marilee Dea savors sweet peas sweet pea, annual climbing plant (Lathyrus odoratus) of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), a legume native to S Europe but, since its introduction to horticulture c.1700, widely cultivated for its fragrant flowers. she picked from her Reed College Reed College, at Portland, Oreg.; coeducational; inc. 1908, opened 1911 through a bequest from Mr. and Mrs. Simeon G. Reed. Reed is noted for its program of natural sciences and for its system of tutorial and small-conference instruction. Community Garden. And, in Burlington, Vt., K.K. Wilder harvests produce from an accessible plot at the Ethan Allan Homestead Homestead. 1 City (1990 pop. 26,866), Dade co., SE Fla.; inc. 1913. A large Miami suburb with a growing Hispanic population, Homestead is a trade center for the redland district, known for its many varieties of citrus and other fruits and vegetables. . What these three gardeners have in common with each other, and with tens of thousands of other gardeners around North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. is the extraordinary experience of gardening in community on land made available through the auspices aus·pi·ces 1 n. Plural of auspex. auspices Noun, pl under the auspices of with the support and approval of [Latin auspicium augury from birds] Noun of their local park and recreation programs. They are community gardeners, who garden with others, either in assigned "allotment A portion, share, or division. The proportionate distribution of shares of stock in a corporation. The partition and distribution of land. ALLOTMENT. Distribution by lot; partition. Merl. Rep. h.t. " plots or in common public gardens. Their gardening experience enhances their own quality of life and that of the communities in which they garden. They "give back" to their communities by growing fresh food and abundant blossoms, by helping maintain the land, and by interacting with fellow citizens. North America has a long history of community gardening Community gardening is when city planners reserve small, undeveloped spaces to be used for urban agriculture in the city’s core. Its citizens can gain more than just recreational areas, but places that socially integrate and, literally, feed the community. . You may recall in the 1940s, World War II Victory Gardens in which civic duty brought gardeners together to grow food for the war effort. The mid- 1970s heralded a revitalized re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. community gardening movement led by urban economic and environmental activists in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , Chicago, Seattle, Toronto and Philadelphia, among others. The U.S. Department of Agriculture promoted its Urban Gardening Urban gardening involves using available soil and containers to grow plants in an urban environment. Usually this refers to growing inside the home or on a roof or terrace, though urban gardening may also include growing plants in windowboxes. Program, and the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA ACGA American Corn Growers Association ACGA Asian Corporate Governance Association ACGA Association of Clay and Glass Artists ACGA An Comunn Gaidhealach - America ACGA American Community Gardening Association ACGA American Council on Gift Annuities ), North America's premier community gardening organization, was founded. Park and recreation programs joined the movement, dispersed dis·perse v. dis·persed, dis·pers·ing, dis·pers·es v.tr. 1. a. To drive off or scatter in different directions: The police dispersed the crowd. b. grants and municipal funds, helped organize community gardeners, and provided land to till. Today, park and recreation programs in large cities and small towns continue to promote community gardens for their residents. They support community gardening because they see it as a broad-reaching, educational, environment-enriching, community enhancing and cost-effective activity. The Burlington, Vt., City Council in 2002 passed a resolution supporting the long-term maintenance and expansion of the Burlington Area Community Gardens (BACG BACG British Association for Crystal Growth BACG Base Aérea de Campo Grande BACG Burlington Area Community Gardens BACG Bay Area Consulting Group BACG British American Consulting Group BACG Bank Austria Creditanstalt Group BACG Boston Academic Consulting Group ) program. Then and now, BACG is the city's most popular recreation program. Lisa Coven cov·en n. An assembly of 13 witches. [Perhaps from Middle English covent, assembly, convent; see convent. , land steward a person who acts for another in the management of land, collection of rents, etc. See also: Land of Burlington Parks and Recreation Department, and Jim Flint flint, mineral flint, variety of quartz that commonly occurs in rounded nodules and whose crystal structure is not visible to the naked eye. Flint is dark gray, smoky brown, or black in color; pale gray flint is called chert. , executive director of the Friends of Burlington Gardens are partners in one of North America's pioneer community gardening programs. Community gardening began in Burlington in 1972 with a partnership between the Burlington Parks Department and the non-profit Gardens for All, which became the National Gardening Association. Subsequently, the Burlington community garden program became a separate non-profit, Burlington Area Community Gardens (BACG). By 1996, Friends of Burlington Gardens (FBG FBG Fiber Bragg Gratings FBG Fasting Blood Glucose FBG Functional Brain-Gut Research Group FBG Florida Brewer's Guild FBG Fluidized Bed Generator FBG Flavor Blasted Goldfish (gaming) FBG Forum Battle Group ), a grassroots nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. volunteer organization, formed to support BACG. It promotes community-based gardening throughout Vermont and is spearheading the growth of the Vermont Community Garden Network. Burlington's program is notable for its sustainability and the extensive support it enjoys. It's also noteworthy that the program, which serves more than 2,000 people, succeeds largely because of the commitment from an extensive network of gardeners, volunteers, institutions and private entities. It thrives because this partnership faces challenges and welcomes support together. Coven and Flint report, "Community gardens provide many benefits including health and well-being, intergenerational in·ter·gen·er·a·tion·al adj. Being or occurring between generations: "These social-insurance programs are intergenerational and all recreation, enhanced food security and nutrition, opportunities for education and social development, youth civic engagement, and reduction of neighborhood crime and vandalism The intentional and malicious destruction of or damage to the property of another. The intentional destruction of property is popularly referred to as vandalism. It includes behavior such as breaking windows, slashing tires, spray painting a wall with graffiti, and ?' By contrast to Burlington's historic BACG, Sacramento, Calif., only two years ago established a new community gardening program, seeing this" ... as a way to build community, bring the neighbors together and beautify the neighborhood at the same time." Bill Maynard Walter Frederick George Williams (born 8 October 1928 in Heath End, Farnham, Surrey) more commonly known as Bill Maynard, is a British comedian and actor. He attended Kibworth Beauchamp Grammar School and started as a variety performer, taking his professional surname , Sacramento's first community garden coordinator, explains that although community gardens existed for many years on private land prior to the city's formal creation of program, residential and commercial development sounded the death knell death knell Noun something that heralds death or destruction Noun 1. death knell - an omen of death or destruction for many of them. Maynard is an ACGA board member and former member of the city's Park and Recreation Citizens' Advisory Committee. He sees real benefits arising from the opportunity to establish a new program. Primarily among these is the chance to research, review and learn from others as he develops guidelines guidelines, n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. , oversees development and promotes the program. Perhaps most challenging is Maynard's task to identify a non-profit partner, as Burlington has done. The city envisions that the non-profit will oversee the community garden program, with the coordinator acting as the liaison to the city. Maynard says that Sacramento has experienced some opposition to community gardens, largely by people who do not fully understand the fledgling program. Some have complained about "guerilla gardens" that spring up unsponsored on vacant land, are not maintained, and not regulated. Others question city funding of a community garden program where people directly benefit from the city's land. Maynard and the city reply that city-sponsored programs address both of these objections, because gardeners get out of their houses and, when gardens are located in parks, they keep their "eyes on the park" and become its stewards. Most proponents of community gardening cite examples of actual reduction in crime in and around parks once community gardens take root, since the gardeners themselves become "eyes and ears" for the park and the adjacent communities. Such is the case in Seattle, Wash., where the Seattle Parks There are hundreds of parks in Seattle, Washington. This is a partial list. See the City of Seattle's list of parks for additional information.
Rich MacDonald, manager of the P-Patch program, in the Department of Neighborhoods, explains that as P-Patch recognition has grown and created more public open space in the gardens, opposition has diminished. Although" ... some neighbors believe [gardens] may become unsightly un·sight·ly adj. un·sight·li·er, un·sight·li·est Unpleasant or offensive to look at; unattractive. See Synonyms at ugly. un , bring strangers into the neighborhood and cause parking problems, as gardens become more fixed in neighborhoods, they become well liked," he says. MacDonald notes that today's challenges for gardens in parks are the same faced by others, like ball fields, tennis or basketball courts, or off-leash areas. People recognize these as city-wide needs, but at the neighborhood level people may oppose these uses. "Our challenge," MacDonald explains, "is to turn out "wannabe" gardeners [to express their interest] during the park planning process. In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , community gardening is not a use that parks [automatically] programs for; rather it responds to neighborhood interest." MacDonald observes that education, outreach Outreach is an effort by an organization or group to connect its ideas or practices to the efforts of other organizations, groups, specific audiences or the general public. , and, especially, "developing relationships at various public and private levels has been a major reason for the success of our program." Leslie Pohl-Kosbau, director of Portland [Ore.] Community Gardens, is a long-time leader in the community gardening movement and former ACGA board member. She knows the value of community gardening and reports that Portland recognizes that "community gardens provide more than fresh produce--they build friendships and pockets of green in urban neighborhoods." She cites the Portland 2020 Plan: "We need to blur blur (blur) indistinctness, clouding, or fogging. spectacle blur the indistinct vision with spectacles occurring after removal of contact lenses, especially non–gas-permeable lenses; it is the boundaries between park and city. Let's start thinking of Portland itself as a garden. If we invest our city with the same care, love, attention and patience we extend to our private gardens, Portlanders will be rewarded with stunning beauty, ecological health Ecological health or ecological integrity or ecological damage is used to refer to symptoms of an ecosystem's pending loss of carrying capacity, its ability to perform nature's services, or a pending ecocide, due to cumulative causes such as pollution. and spirit of place." Still, Portland's program, like other cities, confronts economic challenges and periodically faces proposed major funding cuts. However, Pohl-Kosbau says that gardening isn't all plants--it is really about people. She says that the beauty of community gardening is that there are no limitations to any segment of any community. "Whether gardens are ADA-accessible or welcome at-risk kids, whether they focus on seniors or school children, they offer opportunities for the physical and social benefit to people and neighborhoods," says Pohl-Kosbau. Toronto, Ontario, Canada is an enthusiastic host city for a program that demonstrates the power of community gardening to meet broader municipal needs and commitments--in Toronto's case commitments to young people and community food security. The Toronto Community Gardens Program "began with the idea that well-used, clean and safe parks are essential to the health and vitality of urban living," according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Solomon Boye Boye may refer to:
v. en·er·gized, en·er·giz·ing, en·er·giz·es v.tr. 1. To give energy to; activate or invigorate: "His childhood and sustain it. In fact, in partnership with FoodShare and the Toronto Food Policy Council, the Toronto program began as a youth training and mentoring project based on horticultural hor·ti·cul·ture n. 1. The science or art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants. 2. The cultivation of a garden. education. The program sponsors the Junior Gardener Program to teach children about healthy nutrition and physical activity and Toronto Urban Gardening Youth, which uses gardening to build youth entrepreneurial, leadership and "invaluable life skills." The program also encourages its gardeners to grow food for themselves and the community, providing more than 3,000 Toronto residents their own rows to hoe hoe, usually a flat blade, variously shaped, set in a long wooden handle and used primarily for weeding and for loosening the soil. It was the first distinctly agricultural implement. The earliest hoes were forked sticks. . Toronto demonstrates a city-wide commitment to community food security, a phrase that describes a community's access to healthy, reasonably priced good food. When communities or neighborhoods within them cannot provide this access, community gardens can help. Shared produce grown in community gardens is one real benefit that communities understand. In addition to providing food for gardeners, their families and friends, many community gardens contribute produce to food pantries, soup kitchens and institutions. Numerous programs support gardens in low-income communities, especially those where local stores and or farmers markets are not available or convenient. "[Community gardening] involves gardeners in their own food security and helps them to understand the importance of our food networks" says H. Michael Simmons Michael Simmons or Michael Troutman Simmons (1814-1867[1]) was a 19th century American pioneer and one of the first white men to settle in the Puget Sound. Simmons was one of ten children, born in Kentucky in 1814. , adult program specialist for Bloomington (Indiana) Parks and Recreation. Bloomington Parks and Recreation's program, though not large, offers opportunities for gardeners at two sites. The program recognizes social, recreational and health benefits of community gardening, as well as beautification beau·ti·fy tr. & intr.v. beau·ti·fied, beau·ti·fy·ing, beau·ti·fies To make or become beautiful. beau of parks, increased park usage, reduction of vandalism, and the sharing of food with hungry people through the Plant a Row for the Hungry Project, a food sharing program sponsored by the Garden Writers Association. Simmons says, "Probably our most significant challenge is [to provide] services for gardeners without [charging or raising plot rental fees]. In order to accomplish this, we rely on an active volunteer recruitment program to obtain volunteers to assist the garden supervisor with maintenance tasks, [to solicit] in-kind donations from community businesses and individuals, and [to obtain] grants." Budgets vary widely among programs, largely because of the wide diversity of program models. While some programs include all costs of service in their community garden budgets, others identify only those unique to the program, such as coordinator salary and direct expenses, such as tilling, if it is offered. Most programs charge a nominal rental fee to obtain a plot, and expect garden plot rental fees to defray de·fray tr.v. de·frayed, de·fray·ing, de·frays To undertake the payment of (costs or expenses); pay. [French défrayer, from Old French desfrayer : des-, the costs of the program. While Burlington estimates its annual total cost, including overhead, at $40,000, the BACG program raises about $17,000 in revenues each year through plot fees, sales of mulch mulch, any material, usually organic, that is spread on the ground to protect the soil and the roots of plants from the effects of soil crusting, erosion, or freezing; it is also used to retard the growth of weeds. hay and contributions, with additional funds coming from grants. The city provides administrative, office and staff support and in-kind contributions of equipment and services. FBG, the non-profit partner, supports the program with a full-time executive director, part-time seasonal staff, and volunteers. In 2005, it generated $42,000 in revenues through grants, contributions and special events. From Sacramento, Maynard notes another point--after the initial cost of construction, community gardens are operated and maintained by the gardeners, unlike standard parks that can cost tens or hundreds of thousands to maintain annually. Community gardening, though widespread and well-loved throughout North America, still surprises many people, according to Teva Dawson, the horticulture horticulture [Lat. hortus=garden], science and art of gardening and of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants. Horticulture generally refers to small-scale gardening, and agriculture to the growing of field crops, usually on a large inspector of Des Moines Des Moines, city, United States Des Moines (dĭ moin`), city (1990 pop. 193,187), state capital and seat of Polk co., S central Iowa, at the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers; inc. [Iowa] Park and Recreation Department. The seven-year-old Des Moines Community Gardening Coalition supports grass-roots community greening projects, some of which can be found on street corners, community centers, on boulevards and even in vacant lots. Dawson says, "When I'm out in the community, people are always surprised to learn that this program is run by the City of Des Moines. They can't believe we have a progressive, neighborhood-based program to support their work. What we do does not fit their image of city government?' The greatest benefit to towns from community gardening is that it engages people in community activity from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, cultures and abilities, including older adults, children, and youth, and longtime long·time adj. Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit. longtime Adjective residents as well as new immigrants. It is unique in providing access for citizens to interact with the community and its leaders. According to Simmons, "It is a community building enterprise that contributes to the social cohesion cohesion: see adhesion and cohesion. Cohesion (physics) The tendency of atoms or molecules to coalesce into extended condensed states. This tendency is practically universal. of the community." All this, and beautiful flowers and fresh vegetables too. Betsy Johnson, executive director of the American Community Gardening Association, and Bill Maynard, Sacramento's community gardening coordinator, former member of the city's Park and Recreation Citizens' Advisory Committee, and an ACGA board member, contributed to this article. If you'd like more information about community gardening programs and their viability for you, dial into The American Community Gardening Association's teleconference call for Community Gardens and Parks Departments on April 20. Visit www.communitygarden.org for details. Digging For Resources To find out more about community gardening, contact one of the programs mentioned in the article for more information or try one of these other informational Web sites: American Community Gardening Association: www.communitygarden.org Garden Writers Association: www.gardenwriters.org Master Gardeners Program: www.ahs.org/master gardeners/ index.htm Towns mentioned in the article: Bloomington: www.bloomington.in.govlparks Burlington: www.burlingtongardens.org or www.enjoyburlington.com Portland: www.portlandparks.org or http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/ index.cfm?c=39846 Sacramento: www.cityofsacramento.org/parksandre creation/parks or www.saccommunity gardens.org Seattle: www.cityofseattle.net/ neighborhoods/ppatch Toronto: www.toronto.ca/parks/ programs/community.htm
Community Gardens and Amenities
Insurance Water
Bloomington, city provides; city provides
Indiana gardeners sign
liability waiver
Burlington, city provides billed to gardens,
Vermont paid by gardener fees
Des Moines, city provides city coordinates with
Iowa for gardens on Water Works; gardens
park land use fire hydrants
Portland, city is self-insured city pays Water
Oregon Bureau
Sacramento, City provides, city provides
California but wants a non-
profit to assume
Seattle, city provides city provides
Washington
Toronto, city has a city provides
Ontario volunteer liability
insurance policy
Management Plot Size
Bloomington, city Adult Program 10x20 to
Indiana Specialist coordinates 20x20; 4x8
garden manager accessible
raised beds
Burlington, Park employee 10x10;
Vermont coordinates volunteer 25x25
site coordinators
Des Moines, city provides 10x15
Iowa technical assistance;
garden managers
Portland, city program director 200 sq ft;
Oregon coordinates with 400 sq ft;
volunteer garden accessible
managers raised beds
Sacramento, city funds part time 10x10;
California coordinator who 20x20
oversees the garden
boards
Seattle, city staff 100 sq ft to
Washington (P-Patch program) 400 sq ft
coordinate with
volunteer Friends of
P-Patch
Toronto, city community garden 4x12 to
Ontario staff oversee 10x20
individual garden
volunteer coordinators
Fees Garbage
Bloomington, $21-$39 according to city provides
Indiana plot and residency
Burlington, youth-$18; half plot Parks collects at 3
Vermont $34; full plot $52 community work days
Des Moines, none to city none provided
Iowa
Portland, half plot $23, no regular trash pick-up;
Oregon full plot $45, city provides grinding of
raised bed $15 woody material.
Sacramento, $25-$50 green waste composted
California on site
Seattle, $31-$61; fees none provided
Washington adjusted for low
income and immigrant
gardeners
Toronto, $53.50CDN for gardeners responsible
Ontario allotments; no fee for own removal or
for communal garden composting
Volunteer service Contract or Agreement Required
Bloomington, none beyond individual Gardeners sign registration
Indiana plot maintenance form and liability waiver
statement
Burlington, 2 hours to Gardeners sign agreement to
Vermont maintenance, abide by rules & regulations
education, or
mentoring
Des Moines, determined by garden Community-based organizations
Iowa sign lease agreements
Portland, 6 hours annually Gardeners sign registration
Oregon for common area with hold harmless clause
maintenance and agree to abide by rules
& regulations
Sacramento, 2 hours/month for Gardeners sign liability
California common area form and agree to abide by
maintenance rules & regulations
Seattle, 8 hours, strictly Gardeners sign application
Washington enforced; P-Patch form and agree to abide by
provides related rules & regulations
education
Toronto, determined by Garden groups require permit
Ontario each garden and agree to abide by rules
& regulations
No. of plots No. of gardeners
Bloomington, 120 200+
Indiana
Burlington, 340 2000
Vermont
Des Moines, 80 Hundreds, varied
Iowa at community
based
organizations
Portland, 1,096 3000
Oregon
Sacramento, 150 250
California
Seattle, 2000 4600
Washington
Toronto, 3000+ 5000+
Ontario
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