Community Gardens

Nashville Civic Design Center

Community Gardens Case Study THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY GARDENS What is a Community Garden?

“A community garden is any piece of land gardened by a group of people. It can be urban, suburban, or rural, can grow flowers, vegetables or community. It can consist of one community plot, or can be many individual plots and can be located at a school, hospital, church, or as part of a neighborhood.”

(American Association of Community Gardens) Midwood Park Community Garden in Charlotte, NC

Revitalizing Communities In addition to providing fresh produce and plants, a community garden stimulates positive social, economic, and educational growth within a neighborhood and its community. As it fosters community involvement, promotes social interaction and provides important urban green space, a garden can be an effective response to the ills with which modern urban communities are faced.

• Alienation Community gardens can be strong tools for combatting two forms of alienation common to modern urban life: alienation from food sources and from community.

By bringing urban gardeners closer in touch with the source of their food, community gardens aid in educating adults and youth on the importance of valuing fresh and nutritious food choices. Likewise, community gardens serve as a catalyst for breaking down social isolation and encouraging co-dependence.

• Food Insecurity/Food Deserts Food insecurity indicates difficulty in a neighborhood to access or afford fresh and nutritious foods by way of grocery stores or markets. A “food desert” is defined as a rural or urban low-income neighborhood or community with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies). The results of food insecurity include overall poor dietary intake (low intake of high-nutrient foods and high intake of low-nutrient foods), micro-nutrient deficiencies, elevated obesity rates, and incidence of chronic diseases associated with a poor diet.

Nutritional deficiencies and chronic illness can negatively affect educational or job performance and, in turn, social mobility. Access to nutritious and affordable food through a community garden can have far-reaching af-

Jones Urban Valley Farm in Burmingham AL Nashville Civic Design Center • Community Gardens Case Study • www.civicdesigncenter.org

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fects on the health, energy-levels, and the overall performance of those benefitting from the garden’s harvest.

• Violence and Crime Community gardens can be effective tools for revitalizing neighborhoods and enhancing its inhabitants’ quality of life. This is true particularly when a community choses to plot a garden in an empty lot, as these can be detrimental to social cohesion. Empty lots are economically unproductive, they can decrease or prevent social interraction, present a danger public health and safety, and attract crime. Replacing an empty lot with a community project, increases visibility and foot-traffic and allows for less opportunities for crime and violence in surrounding areas.

vide all three factors of sustainability: Socially, they present the opportunity for solidifying community. Economically, they allow for more immediate and affordable access to food, and provide a safety net for potential economic hardship. Finally, any urban green space acts environmentally to provide more livable neighborhoods by controlling physical factors such as temperature, noise, and pollution.

In addition, a 2004 study conducted by Environmental Science researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that for equal housing and economic conditions within a same urban neighborhood, residents who lived within sight of trees and planted areas reported less abusive behavior in their homes and less problems with neighbors than did residents isolated from green spaces. In light of this, the presence of a garden may also help in reducing violent behavior and relational tension within a community.

Decatur Community Garden in Atlanta, GA

Summary: Benefits of Community Gardens

Harvesting garlic at Crabtree Urban Farm in Chattanooga, TN

• Sustainability Sustainability, defined as the capacity to endure through time, is an important concept for community development. It is the idea that a neighborhood can be given the social, economic and environmental tools to exercise greater self-reliance, and ensure its own stability and longevity. Community gardens have the capacity to pro-

• Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education • Beautifies neighborhoods • Preserves green space • Provides a catalyst for community development • Stimulates social interaction • Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections • Reduces opportunities for crime • Promotes the concept of civic participation • Encourages co-dependence within a community • Supports a community’s self-reliance • Produces nutritious food • Reduces alienation from food-sources • Conserves resources • Relieves family food budgets • Creates income opportunities and economic development • Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots • Improves the quality of life for participants

Nashville Civic Design Center • Community Gardens Case Study • www.civicdesigncenter.org

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STARTING A COMMUNITY GARDEN

A seven-step plan to create a garden in your community 1. Form a Planning Committee • What kind of plants will be grown?

• Who will the garden serve?

• Form and committed group, chose a coordinator • Form committees (Funding, Construction,Youth...)

• Approach potential sponsors • Find a site, obtain a lease or agreement • Decide on central address and phone number • Chose a name for your garden •

2. Chose a site • Must get at least 6 hours of daily sunlight • Test soil for nutrients and heavy metals • Consider water access • Consider previous land-use for contaminations

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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4. Organize the Garden • Are there conditions for membership?

• How will plots be assigned?

• Determine individual and group responsibilities • Will the gardeners meet regularly?

• Will tools and materials be shared?

• Are there rules? How will they be enforced?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

5. Set up a Garden Corporation (optional) • What is your purpose?

• How will leaders be chosen?

• How will work be shared?

• How will you raise money?

• How open are you to change?

3. Prepare and Develop the site • Clean the site • Gather materials, consider asking for donations • Develop garden design and determine plot size • Include plans for storage and composting • Will the garden be organic?

• Have a rain-proof bulletin for announcements

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6. Managing your Garden Organization • Create an application (interest, desired plot size, plot location desired gardening seasons, individual/ family/group plot, weekly availability, etc.)

• Create a Contract or Agreement for new members (financial contribution, time commitment, plot upkeep, littering, creating shade on other plots, use of fertilizers/insecticides, policy on pets, liability waiver, etc.)

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• • • • • • • • • •

7. Troubleshooting • Well designed signs, fencing and landscaping will promote good-will and acceptance from the community and municipal authorities • Decide how to deal with potential vandalism • Trade flowers with neighbors for a watchful eye From The American Community Garden Association: www.communitygarden.org/learn/starting-a-community-garden.php

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES American Community Garden Association “Building community by increasing and enhancing community gardening and greening across the United States and Canada.” www.communitygarden.org Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee “From farm to fork, joining together to create and sustain a secure and healthy food system for Middle Tennessee.” http://www.foodsecuritypartners.org Nashville Urban Harvest “A community group working to build a sustainable food system in Nashville, TN, seeking ways to help align public action with public values.” http://nashvilleurbanharvest.org Grow Nashville “Bringing people together to grow food in Neighborhoods throughout Nashville and Davidson County.” http://www.nashville.gov/community_gardens

SOURCES http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/59640.aspx http://www.communitygarden.org/about-acga http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/resources.php

http://www.paluc.org/pdfs/sprawl/health/sprawl_do_trees .pdf http://nashvilleurbanharvest.org/pages/why-get-involved-i n-agriculture http://www.foodsecuritypartners.org/FSP_ReadArticle.ph p?ANo=109&A=Explore&P=Gardening&T=R http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/starting-a-commu nity-garden.php Nashville Civic Design Center • Community Gardens Case Study • www.civicdesigncenter.org

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Nashville Civic Design Center

Community Gardens in Nashville Bellevue Community Center - Bellevue Location:

Info:

656 Colice Jeanne Road The recreation center features a com-

munity garden along with a full scale

community playground with discovery

and learning opportunities for children.

Chestnut Hill Community Garden Location:

Info:

1st Ave. S. & Chestnut St., 37210 • •

• Composed of 30 community gardeners and organized neighbors of Edgehill.

• Increases access to healthier foods and encourages better eating habits

Farmer’s Market Garden - North Nashville Location:

Size:

Info:

900 Rosa Parks Boulevard 25 acres of urban land • Growing area consists of 6 raised beds

and 4 other planting areas • The market is home to a daily Farmer’s Market with local farmers and produce resellers, and a weekend flea market • The Interior Market House has eateries, specialty food shops, seating and restroom facilities.

George W. Carver Food Park - 12 South Location:

Info:

Chestnut Hill Community Garden

1001 Gale Lane • Organized by Earth Matters Tennessee with neighbors, environmental educa-

tors, youth and organizations • Community garden and organic compost site • Offers a broad range of programs to enhance interior and exterior living

spaces and educate young people on

benefits on environmental responsibility

Edgehill Community Garden - Edgehill Location:

Size:

Info:

14th Avenue South and Horton Avenue 3 acre garden • Founded in 1994 by Edgehill neighbors

and financed by the Community Gar-

den Block Grant, administered by the

Metropolitan Development and Hous-

ing Agency

Hope Gardens Location:

Size:

Info:

Nashville Civic Design Center • Community Gardens Case Study • www.civicdesigncenter.org

933 10th Ave. N., 37208 • •

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• Sponsored by First Baptist Church Old • Hickory who donated the use of their land

Park Avenue Community Garden

The community garden at Hope Gardens

Location:

Info:

McGruder Community Garden - Buena Vista Location:

Info:

2013 25th Avenue North (behind the CE

McGruder Community Center) • The garden is a food security and nu-

trition initiative to bring fresh, healthy

vegetables to North Nashville.

• Leslie Speller- Henderson runs the gar-

den with the help of TSU Co-op Ex-

tension School, Reverend Beech,

women and children from the neigh-

borhood.

3703 Park Avenue • Created in the interest of the environment, conservation, and com-

munity enrichment.

• Used by school children, prisoners, at-

risk youth and adults with limited in-

comes Immigrants grow ethnic foods that • might not be available to them in local stores • Selling excess produce often creates opportunities for job skill training and employment

Richland Gardens Location:

Info:

303 54th Ave. N., 37209 • Founded in 2009 in collaboration with

Good Food for Good People • This is an all organic garden, according

to the USDA Organic Certification

standards.

• The garden now exists thanks to a col-

laborative effort by local families, St.

Ann’s Catholic School, neighborhood

restauranteers.

CE McGruder Community Garden

Old Hickory Village Community Garden Location:

Size:

Info:

1105 Hadley Avenue, Old Hickory TN 5100 square feet • Started in the Spring of 2009 as a place for families to grow, and learn about

both gardening and composting • Divided into 30 family plots

Nashville Civic Design Center • Community Gardens Case Study • www.civicdesigncenter.org

Old Hickory Village Community Garden

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Riverside Village Community Garden Location:

Info:

• Founded in 2008, as an entirely organic

garden.

• The garden is sponsored by All Seasons

Gardening and Brewing Supply, who

donates plants, fertilizer and expertise

to the community of volunteers.

Shelby Park Discovery Garden - East Nashville Location:

Info:

401 South 20th Street • Centered around learning about both

growing food and the natural world.

• On Wednesday evening and Saturday

morning, learning opportunities and

organized activities are available, as

well as the opportunity for anyone to

volunteer working in the garden.

Wedgewood Urban Gardens - Wedgewood Location:

Info:

613 Wedgewood Avenue • Founded in the spring of 2007 • This garden has an emphasis on design, seeks to enhance the park’s atmos-

phere and focuses on food production.

• The garden was created with room for expansion, and hopes to become an urban farm in the near future.

Riverside Village Community Garden

Sylvan Street Garden - East Nashville Location:

Info:

620 South 9th Street • Created in 2008 with collaboration of

Metro Parks Nashville (land donation)

and GROW Nashville Community

Garden Initiative • Maintained by EAT (East-side Agricul-

tural Team) to offer a counterbalance

to the difficulties of living in an urban

district with little or no access to

foods needed to maintain a healthy

diet • Re-greening an urban community space • Provide a healthy, safe, nature-based recreational opportunity • Unite the community with a common goal of abundance, health and sustainability

Nashville Civic Design Center • Community Gardens Case Study • www.civicdesigncenter.org

Composting at Wedgwood Urban Gardens

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School Gardens in Nashville Napier School Garden - Napier Location:

Size:

Info:

60 Fairfield Avenue 240 square feet, N-shaped for Napier • Begun in 2007 at Napier Elementary

School, assisted by Hands on Nashville • The garden helps students learn how

to grow vegetable and make compost • The garden has been used for science, math, health/nutrition, and language studies, along with many counseling conversations while gardening, to raise self-esteem based on new competencies and interests.

Nashville Civic Design Center • Community Gardens Case Study • www.civicdesigncenter.org

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