Compelling Reasons to Institute Community Gardens
Article by John Dumas
John J DumasDec. 11, 2009
The Compelling Reasons to Institute Community Gardens:
Introduction:
Localities should support community gardens for a myriad of equally compelling reasons, historical, educational, health related, social and charitable. This research includes historical periods and named points relating to community gardens. Also, children benefit from opportunities to learn. The social and physical health of the community will be enhanced. Food pantries will have fresh healthy food donated. Community gardens typically receive local support from businesses as well as federal grants and informational and services courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency and United States Department of Agriculture’s local exchanges. Community gardens are consistent with the Green Movement and compatible with Open Space1 policies.
Definition: Community garden:
A community garden is a type of agriculture, which is adjacent to a city of town. Typically a city designates treeless land one quarter to one acre near a water source. Usually the land is then fenced in around its perimeter. Then the land is then divided into small plots of 10 feet by 10 feet (100 square feet) up to 20 feet by 30 feet (600 square feet). About one quarter of the land is aisle space. This results in about 20 to 50 plots that each gardener individually plants their vegetables then waters, weeds and picks some for his own use and donates to a food pantry. However, there are variations, some community gardens are not fenced or divided into plots. According to the American Community Gardening Association, there were an estimated 150,000 community gardens in the U.S. in 2004(American Society for Horticultural Science). This many people desirous and predisposed to laboring on the soil should not come as a surprise. Our history is largely based on agriculture. History and tradition of community gardens:
The historical aspect is very substantial. The United States of America was a land of mostly farmers 90% in 1790. By 1930 21% the population were farming. In 1990 the farmers were 2.6% of the workforce (Speilmaker). These declining numbers would suggest a general disinterest in growing vegetables. But, the United States has a strong agricultural past and periodically turns to our agricultural roots when facing general systemic and personal hardships. What follows are a scant few garden history points.
Washington quit office to return to his garden:
After his presidency, George Washington grew a variety of fruits and vegetables in his approximately 50 foot by 100 foot garden2 at Mount Vernon
