With rising costs of food and fuel, we must do all we can to preserve our food – as we conserve our hard earned dollars, and our environment. The community garden is a unique and literally down-to-earth community investment – to help communities preserve and conserve their resources, and develop from within.
Governance of a Community Garden
Monies have been granted by cities’ governing bodies within Waterloo Region (in this case, the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge) for those who wish to use city-owned land for the purpose of developing a community garden.
Community volunteers and gardeners themselves are responsible for overseeing a community garden – ensuring the land is properly maintained, to include regular and adequate care.
Individuals are given a plot of land to sow and reap the benefits of, and they can choose what they would like to grow, and what grows best, on their land allotment. And community gardeners assist each other in gardening, and will often share and trade their crops with others.
The Community Garden Council of Waterloo Region offers information concerning the impact and objectives of community gardening. The website also indicates a network of community areas where such gardens reside.
Sowing and Reaping the Benefits of a Community Garden
A community not only presents an economical and commonsense option for saving money on healthy, natural food. It encourages community cohesion, and a sense of camaraderie, and it keeps food homegrown – therefore, food is fresher and less expensive when grown and distributed within a community.
A community garden can benefit those living in apartments or other smaller living quarters lacking a garden, or any useful yard or other gardening space. Container gardens on a window ledge are unique and conducive for growing herbs and spices, but of course, do not suit for growing more plentiful crops.
The community garden benefits those on a budget, or those ‘families of one’ – without having to sacrifice good nutrition. Food can be grown simply and easily at a low cost, providing shared time and labour required for its overall maintenance.
And a community garden impacts positively upon the environment – for example, food does not require transport, it will likely have no or very minimal packaging and residual waste.
The community as a whole, and the individuals that comprise it, do benefit from access and use of a community garden – saving money on their food, and also making use of local community land, and also bringing beauty and a sense of accomplishment to a community, with an attractive and versatile community garden.
The Community Garden and Other Locally Grown Food Initiatives
Kitchener`s The Working Centre hosts a variety of community garden projects, and also a Commons Market , which supports local famers and area food sellers.
Similar projects have been undertaken, such as the marathon 100-mile diet which encourages individuals to eat locally from a community garden and other local, perhaps less prominent food businesses, for better health, a strengthened local economy, while it encourages a supportive and supported community.
You can also navigate the Working Centre’s website to learn more about the Whole Food Box Community Supported Agriculture, as part of the Commons Market Project, and other grown-local ‘food-share’ initiatives.
Community gardening gives people the opportunity to eat locally, offering a simple, economical and environmentally-sound choice to help improve and maintain your health – and the health of your community.
Sources
- 100-mile diet, accessed April 12, 2011.
- The Working Centre Kitchener Commons Market, accessed April 12, 2011.
- Community Garden Council of Waterloo Region, accessed April 12, 2011.
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