Filed under: Community Gardens | Tags: American Community Gardening Association, City of Eugene Parks and Open Space, Community Gardens, Eugene
When talking about open spaces, what comes to mind for many are areas to run, bike, hike and enjoy the fresh air. However, open spaces can also be used for community gardens.
Back in the day, it was normal for homes to have enormous yards ideal for sizable gardens. Families could inexpensively provide fresh, nutritious vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, or even raspberries for their families. Today, this is not the case. Today, society has shifted to pocket sized yards or simply no yards at all.
To compensate for this change, the popularity of community gardens has increased, especially in areas where personal space is sparse and fresh produce is pricey. Community gardens allow urban dwellers and people fresh out of space to enjoy the numerous benefits of gardening.
Gardens come in a variety of types and sizes, each specially made for their location. Lets break down what a community garden can and cannot be. According to the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA), community gardens can be urban, suburban, or rural. They can grow flowers, fruits, and vegetables and can be divided into individual plots or can be one community plot. Plots can grow produce for the members of the plot or for markets.
The benefits of community gardens are endless. Besides the obvious benefits of nourishing, fresh produce, ACGA states that community gardens improve the quality of life for people who garden. They also provide a way to improve neighborhood and community development, encourage social interaction within a community, promote self-reliance, and not to mention, they simply make neighborhoods more attractive. Community gardens also reduce how much families spend on food, preserve green space, and even lower city heat from streets and parking lots.
Since 1978, Eugene has been creating community gardens and increasing community involvement and friendships. In Eugene there are six community gardens with a total of more than 300 plots. The average plot in Eugene is 20 by 30 feet and is individually staked and numbered so to avoid any confusion. To rent a plot costs $60 per year, which includes garden tools and water. Each individual gardener decides what to plant and how to help it grow most successfully. When you rent a plot within a community garden, you have a responsibility not just to yourself, but also to everyone who participates in that garden. The rules include starting your garden in the spring, maintaining your plot appropriately, keeping common areas and roadways clear, using organic gardening methods (no pesticides or herbicides) and being respectful to others crops.
Community Gardens are “springing up” all over the nation. They provide so many wonderful benefits with only one downfall- getting your hands down and in the dirt is fairly difficult. These gardens have become so popular that there are waiting lists a “yard” long. So get going, grab some seeds, find a plot near you, and gain some of the countless benefits community gardens can offer.
More Information:
Information is available about plots after March 1.
Plot assignments are made in the middle of March.
For more information or to request a plot, contact:
City of Eugene Parks and Open Spaces
1820 Roosevelt Boulevard
Eugene, Oregon 97402
(541) 682-4800
volunteersinparks@ci.eugene.or.www.eugene-or.gov/parks
1. About American Community Gardening Association
2. Benefits of Community Gardens
3. ACGA What is a Community Garden
By: Jordan Roskelley
