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Between the US and Canada, there are around 20,000 community gardens in cities across the land. In the city of Baltimore alone, there are over 100. Needless to say, the movement's on the rise—the number of people skilled in growing, cooking, and preserving foods in an urban environment is going through the roof.
And it's all thanks to the grassroots efforts of people like Whole Foods' regional 'forager' Mark Smallwood, who are trying to bridge the gap between locally produced food and retail. His efforts, which include securing funding for green spaces in Baltimore and attracting skilled farmers and workers, have been largely successful. From the Baltimore Sun:
| He's negotiating with the city for a site, likely in northern Baltimore, large enough for gardening classes and some individual plots. And he's applying for grants to cover some of the costs. "There's no reason why you can't grow your own food in the city," said Smallwood, an organic farmer who points to his own planted Woodberry yard as evidence. |
As a result of the community garden-farming efforts, farmers' markets in cities are on the rise, too. Once deemed niche events, farmers' markets have grown 25% in urban areas nationwide since 2004—in part because of the community garden boom. And that boom is continuing—with an emerging interest from the cities itself...
[Baltimore] has a plan to develop more "community managed open spaces" that could be a garden or other use. They also are pushing more backyard vegetable gardens and urban farms that can sell food. Together, [Beth Strommen, manager of the office] said, they are good for neighborhoods, the planet and the economy.
"They strengthen communities by giving them recreational space or healthy food," she said. "They are good for the environment because if they're green they're not polluting. ... And they are good for the economy because they stabilize communities and increase property values."
Community gardening is one of those rare win-win-win situations—for information on how you can get involved in your city, head over to the American Community Garden Association.
More on Community Gardens:
How Green is Your Garden?
How to Go Green: Gardening
How to Go Green: In the Community
People to the Power: Energy Utility Provides Community Garden Plots
Backyards Being Converted to Community Gardens in Santa Monica
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