Growing Communities
A look at the public benefits of urban agriculture & neighborhood gardens
Written by: Kasey L Richardson
Societies are, by definition, groups of people united by a common purpose or interest. Perhaps this explains why we typically choose to associate ourselves with individuals whose outward appearance and inner ideologies most closely mirror our own image. Consciously or not, we form bonds and develop close-knit relationships with people of shared life experience – be that our racial or ethical background; religious beliefs; political, social, or environmental agendas; or, socioeconomic status. Once accepted into their inner circle, we quickly conform to our group’s expectations and adhere to their unspoken set of rules. And despite the constant talk about celebrating diversity and erasing the threads of discrimination, we (perhaps somewhat unknowingly) segregate ourselves and deepen the divide between our group and the next, with the company we choose to keep.
From an archeological standpoint, this social separation between different groups of people is anything but new – it has existed since the first humans walked on earth. A look into any history book or museum exhibit details how the hunter-gatherers stuck with the hunter-gatherers; and farmers stuck with other farmers; and nomads and gypsies generally kept to themselves as they traveled throughout the land.
This separation is, in many instances, even more noticeable and pronounced in today’s world. A trip through any major metropolitan area, like New York or Chicago, reveals how whole cities (comprising millions of people) have been divided into many small, distinctly unique neighborhoods. There’s China Town and Little Italy; there’s the Upper East Side and the West Village; there are towering penthouses and rundown projects – all with their own set of rules; all with their own style or etiquette. Over time, each section has grown defiantly independent and, consequently, oblivious to the bigger picture at hand – the prosperity of the whole city, the whole community and the well-being of ALL its citizens.
Fortunately, there is a simple way for any city to bring people together from a wide variety of backgrounds: start a community or neighborhood garden. Like its name suggests, a community garden is essentially a single piece of land that is gardened collectively by a group of people. Strategically positioned between two distinct neighborhoods or blocks (one housing African Americans and the other housing Caucasians, for example) a neighborhood garden can help develop a sense of community across two groups of people who might otherwise remain indifferent toward each another. Working together for the common goal of bringing crops to harvest, individuals of different ages, races, cultures and social classes soon begin to develop a sense of community identity and spirit. As the garden grows, so too does the sense of pride and ownership in what has been accomplished by the group – the differences that once separated individuals begin to seem minuscule at best. Once on common ground (both literally and figuratively) the community can better organize itself in preparation of dealing with other areas social concern.
Bringing people together, however, is not the only benefit of a neighborhood garden. For low-income and impoverished individuals, communal gardening means fighting hunger and saving money (the latter of which is usually in short supply). By growing their own fruits and vegetables, people who might otherwise not be able to afford such healthy and nutritious food improve their diets while saving money. And, as most of us know, an improved diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants equates to healthier bodies and longer life expectancies. One study even concluded that eating locally grown food helps to reduce the occurrence of childhood asthma since the food being consumed contains manageable amounts of pollen which help to develop immunities within the body.
Community gardens are also exceedingly beneficial to the youth in a particular area because of the wide variety of teachable moments they create. Having children assist you in the planning process – planning where to plant different types of seeds and how much room each of those crops will require – easily lends itself to math lesson on geometry and its practical applications. Involving children throughout the entire growing process, from soil-tending to seed planting/germination to pruning and maintenance and then finally to harvest, you are teaching them not only where food comes from but how things grow. If you then decide to sell some of your produce at a local farmers market, children will learn basic business principles and practices through your example. Even if you aren’t the “teacher type”, pursuing a neighborhood gardening endeavor teaches, by example, the importance of community and stewardship, along with the idea of environmental sustainability (and perhaps even sustainable business practices, depending on your particular situation and circumstance).
And, for those looking for a tranquil escape from the normal chaos of bustling city life, neighborhood gardens are a great place to retreat. Away from the noise and commotion, studies have shown that green spaces, like community gardens, significantly reduce stress levels and promote overall health and well-being. More than being just aesthetically pleasing to the senses, community greening gives people a heightened sense of awareness and appreciation for living things. In addition, horticultural therapies (which utilize the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of gardening) have also become increasingly popular and are easily taken advantage of in these urban gardens. Beyond the personal health realm, community gardens can also improve the health of the local economy. Not only can theses gardens act as the basis for sustainable produce businesses which can cycle money back into local economies (thus stimulating their growth), but research has also shown that they actually increase property values in the immediate vicinity.
With such far-reaching benefits, it’s really no surprise why neighborhood gardens have become so increasingly popular within the last decade. Working together and setting differences aside, community gardeners are growing exactly what their name implies: community.
Written by: Kasey L Richardson
Societies are, by definition, groups of people united by a common purpose or interest. Perhaps this explains why we typically choose to associate ourselves with individuals whose outward appearance and inner ideologies most closely mirror our own image. Consciously or not, we form bonds and develop close-knit relationships with people of shared life experience – be that our racial or ethical background; religious beliefs; political, social, or environmental agendas; or, socioeconomic status. Once accepted into their inner circle, we quickly conform to our group’s expectations and adhere to their unspoken set of rules. And despite the constant talk about celebrating diversity and erasing the threads of discrimination, we (perhaps somewhat unknowingly) segregate ourselves and deepen the divide between our group and the next, with the company we choose to keep.
From an archeological standpoint, this social separation between different groups of people is anything but new – it has existed since the first humans walked on earth. A look into any history book or museum exhibit details how the hunter-gatherers stuck with the hunter-gatherers; and farmers stuck with other farmers; and nomads and gypsies generally kept to themselves as they traveled throughout the land.
This separation is, in many instances, even more noticeable and pronounced in today’s world. A trip through any major metropolitan area, like New York or Chicago, reveals how whole cities (comprising millions of people) have been divided into many small, distinctly unique neighborhoods. There’s China Town and Little Italy; there’s the Upper East Side and the West Village; there are towering penthouses and rundown projects – all with their own set of rules; all with their own style or etiquette. Over time, each section has grown defiantly independent and, consequently, oblivious to the bigger picture at hand – the prosperity of the whole city, the whole community and the well-being of ALL its citizens.
Fortunately, there is a simple way for any city to bring people together from a wide variety of backgrounds: start a community or neighborhood garden. Like its name suggests, a community garden is essentially a single piece of land that is gardened collectively by a group of people. Strategically positioned between two distinct neighborhoods or blocks (one housing African Americans and the other housing Caucasians, for example) a neighborhood garden can help develop a sense of community across two groups of people who might otherwise remain indifferent toward each another. Working together for the common goal of bringing crops to harvest, individuals of different ages, races, cultures and social classes soon begin to develop a sense of community identity and spirit. As the garden grows, so too does the sense of pride and ownership in what has been accomplished by the group – the differences that once separated individuals begin to seem minuscule at best. Once on common ground (both literally and figuratively) the community can better organize itself in preparation of dealing with other areas social concern.
Bringing people together, however, is not the only benefit of a neighborhood garden. For low-income and impoverished individuals, communal gardening means fighting hunger and saving money (the latter of which is usually in short supply). By growing their own fruits and vegetables, people who might otherwise not be able to afford such healthy and nutritious food improve their diets while saving money. And, as most of us know, an improved diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants equates to healthier bodies and longer life expectancies. One study even concluded that eating locally grown food helps to reduce the occurrence of childhood asthma since the food being consumed contains manageable amounts of pollen which help to develop immunities within the body.
Community gardens are also exceedingly beneficial to the youth in a particular area because of the wide variety of teachable moments they create. Having children assist you in the planning process – planning where to plant different types of seeds and how much room each of those crops will require – easily lends itself to math lesson on geometry and its practical applications. Involving children throughout the entire growing process, from soil-tending to seed planting/germination to pruning and maintenance and then finally to harvest, you are teaching them not only where food comes from but how things grow. If you then decide to sell some of your produce at a local farmers market, children will learn basic business principles and practices through your example. Even if you aren’t the “teacher type”, pursuing a neighborhood gardening endeavor teaches, by example, the importance of community and stewardship, along with the idea of environmental sustainability (and perhaps even sustainable business practices, depending on your particular situation and circumstance).
And, for those looking for a tranquil escape from the normal chaos of bustling city life, neighborhood gardens are a great place to retreat. Away from the noise and commotion, studies have shown that green spaces, like community gardens, significantly reduce stress levels and promote overall health and well-being. More than being just aesthetically pleasing to the senses, community greening gives people a heightened sense of awareness and appreciation for living things. In addition, horticultural therapies (which utilize the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of gardening) have also become increasingly popular and are easily taken advantage of in these urban gardens. Beyond the personal health realm, community gardens can also improve the health of the local economy. Not only can theses gardens act as the basis for sustainable produce businesses which can cycle money back into local economies (thus stimulating their growth), but research has also shown that they actually increase property values in the immediate vicinity.
With such far-reaching benefits, it’s really no surprise why neighborhood gardens have become so increasingly popular within the last decade. Working together and setting differences aside, community gardeners are growing exactly what their name implies: community.
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If you would like more information regarding community gardens, please visit the American Community Gardening Association website:
If you would like more information regarding community gardens, please visit the American Community Gardening Association website:
Posted by Urban Growth KC at 5/18/2010 8:55 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: community gardening going local
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: community gardening going local
Great article. I do gardening here at home and our neighbors all talk to each other as we are outside, but having an entire community garden would be wonderful.
I'd especially like knowing where the community gardens in Kansas City are located. Perhaps by somehow creating that kind of a map, more people would be encouraged to participate.
Thanks again! Janet
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