Learning Self Sufficiency Through Community Organic Gardens

Posted by Cathy England
January 29th, 2011
Filed in Garden Maintenance
Tags: Community organic gardening, nutrition, self-sufficiency

Look around your neighborhood.  In a ten block drive, how many places can you count that could potentially become a community organic garden?  Are there vacant lots, or abandoned buildings that are otherwise serving no purpose?  What would it look like instead if there were garden plots, and neighbors working together in those spaces?

There are a number of towns and cities in the nation who are attempting to find out what that would look like; while educating groups of people, particularly in low-income communities, to become more self-sufficient.  This has been largely successful in the areas where a commitment has been made to this effort.

Wattle

Why Community Gardening?

A funny thing happens when you get people out of their homes, into the fresh air, and remind them that they can become a provider of some of their own sustenance.  Low income areas in particular have notoriously been linked to crime, accused of living off of the government, and in general have been marginalized.  When people are perceived that way, sometimes those ideas become what they think of themselves, and motivation to become anything else diminishes.

Self Sufficiency Through Gardening

No matter how much you enjoy or hate your job, there is a sense of pride in knowing that you are providing a service, producing a product, or contributing ideas to the greater world.  You make money, and you buy food to feed your family.  Perhaps intentionally or unintentionally, you roll your eyes at the gentleman in front of you who pulls out his welfare card to pay for his food.

For low income families, there has to a certain extent become a reliance upon “the system”.  Immigrant families in particular may come to this country having been used to farming for their food, then find themselves in an apartment building, or small public housing facility with little or no land to till.

Some low income families have never been out of the city and do not know the first thing about gardening, and may have heard the word organic, but do not know what it means.  Educating people about how to grow their own food, to take ownership for a piece of land, and to be able to produce something to help their family is good for everyone.  Not knowing how to take care of yourself without government intervention is a dangerous thing.

This is true of mid to high level income families as well.  Talk to your neighbors.  If they answer you honestly, do they find it silly that you garden, preserve food, and bake homemade bread.  The “developed” nations have two generations taking it for granted that food will always be available at Wal-Mart, and that water will always spill from the tap.

Building Self-Esteem

In working with low income families, it is apparent that for many of them, having to rely on the government is not something that they want to have to do.  They feel that there is no way that they can provide for themselves any other way, and this robs them of an important part of who they are.  Community garden initiatives are a great way to give a parent and family a sense of self worth.

Community gardens are generally run by master gardeners, extension offices, universities, and happy volunteers who treat these neighbors with respect and as equals.  Anyone who gardens knows that it is a great social activity.  Being outside makes it much more likely that a you will run into another human being.  Teaching each other in the meantime is a bonus.

Does Community Gardening Really work?

Yes. When organized and coordinated properly, this has worked for decades in some communities (read one such initiative here.)  The people who farm their garden plots take pride in what they have, and keep the program going effectively.  Neighbors get to know each other, they get to know each other’s kids, and suddenly neighborhoods begin to work the way that they are supposed to.

Owners/leasers of community plots generally will not allow this privilege to be ruined or taken away due to it becoming a public nuisance, or a magnet for crime activity.  These gardens are kept very well, and are respected by others in the community and are off limits to vandalism etc.

The benefits of these gardens are too many to answer in one article.  Children are outside, they are interacting with their parents and neighbors positively, and families are learning that they can feed themselves on their own.  They are receiving better nutrition, and are also receiving nourishment of their spirit.  Unused and ugly parts of the community are being made beautiful and alive.  It might make you wonder what you could do to get the ball rolling on that empty field down the street from you.  If you have an idea, run with it, and then share it here and with everyone you know.

I can think of few actions that are as simple or as important.  Good Luck!

{This article was originally published on the site in 2009}