Start a Community-Based Garden

This 12-page planning and resource guide is written for anyone who is thinking about starting a community garden. The guide describes a community garden, its benefits, how to find or start a garden, and tips for growing, storing, preparing, and enjoying fruits and vegetables. In addition, it highlights state and national gardening resources.

This brochure offers case studies, best management practices, resources, and tools for policymakers to develop creative, cost-effective solutions that reduce barriers and the creation of community garden programs. Local government leaders are in a unique position to promote healthy eating and active living in their communities by supporting community gardens. Barriers, such as liability expenses, code restrictions, and a lack of resources, often make it difficult for communities to establish or maintain gardens in their neighborhoods but can be overcome with local government engagement.

Looking for a practical guide to sustaining your community garden, or starting a new one? Organized into chapters covering all aspects of community gardening, from the all-important period of community organizing before you ever put a seed in the ground to dealing with fundraising and coalition building, this guide stands out for its emphasis on community gardening, the inclusion of chapters on garden design and garden-scale food production, and focus on North Carolina.

This guide is intended to be a resource for gardeners, garden organizers, Extension staff, and other agency professionals who want to start a new community garden, enhance an existing garden or help community members start and manage their own community garden.