Community Harvest

Posted May 8, 2014

CULTIVATE YOUR GARDEN

  • Many communities struggle to provide residents with fresh, healthy food.
  • Start a community garden to bring people together and foster sustainability.
  • Gardens growing local and nutritious food will help connect the community, get residents outdoors and provide fresh foods to those in need.

FOLLOW THEIR LEAD!

Hillsborough Township Library along with other Somerset County Library System branches celebrated National Agriculture Month. A local vegetable garden painted murals on planter boxes, which were built and installed by the Somerset County Planning Division, and maintained by Hillsborough Department of Public Works. All produce harvested at the community garden is donated to the Hillsborough Food Pantry.

ACTION STEPS

Engage Your Community

  • Hold a meeting to discuss logistics and build energy.
  • Involve local gardening clubs or environmental groups.
  • Ask local high school science teachers if they want to involve their students.
  • Involve your elementary schools by setting up an American Heart Association Teaching Garden.
  • Use tips from the resources below to develop a successful plan for your community garden.

Choose a Site

  • Find a spot where your garden can be placed (i.e., a local park, building rooftops, school yards, etc.).
  • The spot should receive at least six hours of direct sunlight per day, with easy access to water.
  • Check if the land you will be growing on has proper drainage.
  • Once you identify an ideal spot, find out who owns the land.
  • Contact the landowner and discuss next steps that may include obtaining permission, such as a joint-use agreement.

Design the Garden

  • Decide on a size, location and mission that fits the community it serves.
  • Consider accessibility, protection from animals or vandalism, storage of tools and space to gather.

Get Growing

  • Decide what to grow and get the community involved in planting.
  • Once the project is up and running, let everyone know.
  • Welcome visitors and share the garden’s neighborhood benefits.
  • Hold educational sessions and teach residents how to grow healthy food at home.

MORE RESOURCES

Learn More About Gardening
10 Steps to Starting a Community Garden
Setting up an American Heart Association Teaching Garden
Learn How Trenton Set Up More Than 60 Community Gardens Across the City Through the Nonprofit Isles

Topics

Mayors Wellness Campaign