8/8/2019 Breaking Ground on Community Gardens - Advocates for Health in Action

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY ADVOCATES FOR HEALTH IN ACTION

Advocates for Health in Action is a group of diverse organizations and community members who are shaping

environment throughout Wake County so healthful eating and physical activity are the way of life.

> S T E P 1

Form a Planning CommitteeOrganize a meeting of all interested people and discuss the

steps needed to start the garden project. Choose a well-

organized leadership team to oversee the project. It may also

be helpful to form sub-committees that are responsible for

various tasks, such as Funding, Youth Activities, Construction,

Communication, etc. Choose a name for the garden.

> S T E P 2

Defne A Purpose, Objectives & ValuesDetermine who the garden will serve and if it is meant to

benet a particular group or neighborhood. It is essential that

members of those populations are involved in all phases of the

garden project. Determine your short and long-term objectives.

Be sure to identify your needs before beginning the garden

project to guide your planning and implementation.

> S T E P 3

Organize The Garden & ActivitiesDetermine how plots will be assigned and how they will

be maintained. Discuss if certain things will be done

cooperatively, such as turning the soil in the spring,composting, etc. Decide if gardeners will share tools and other

equipment and if there will be a set of rules which gardeners

are expected to follow. The more organized and detailed you

are in planning your garden before beginning, the less likely

you will face conicts and other problems once the project

begins.

> S T E P 4

Create A Year-Round PlanRemember that a garden is a year-round experience. Plan

gardens for various seasons, and create a timeline for planting

and harvesting. However, having a year-round garden also

means you will have to ensure that there will be members to

take care of the garden at all times.

> S T E P 5

Choose & Prepare A SiteThe garden site should be in an area that receives 6-8 hoursof full sunlight, has good drainage, and is in close proximity to

water. The site should be easily accessible by all members.

Consider past uses of the land, and perform a soil test in the fall

for nutrients and heavy metals. Be sure there is enough room

to include a storage area for tools and other equipment.

> S T E P 6

Stick To The PlanContinue to raise awareness of the garden throughout the

community by inviting various groups or organizations to

volunteer work days. Develop creative ways to keep members

motivated to maintain a successful garden.

Breaking Ground on Community Gardens

C O N T I N U E D

8/8/2019 Breaking Ground on Community Gardens - Advocates for Health in Action

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> R E F E R E N C E S

Advocates or Health in ActionA group of diverse organizations and community memberswho are shaping the environment throughout Wake County so

healthful eating and physical activity are the way of life. www.

advocatesforhealthinaction.org

American CommunityGarden Associationwww.communitygarden.org/learn/starting-a-community-garden.php

National Garden Associationwww.nationalgardenmonth.org/index.php?

page=storyline-school

> P O T E N T I A L C H A L L E N G E S T O C O N S I D E R

MembershipDecide the conditions you will set for membership. You may

decide to develop written bylaws to ensure how the garden will

operate and what to do if problems should arise. Other issues

to consider are membership dues, eligibility requirements,

meetings, etc.

LiabilityConsider if you need to develop ways to prevent vandalism.

You may also consider purchasing insurance for your garden.

Unfortunately, many insurance carriers are reluctant to cover

community gardens. If you decide you need insurance, considerworking with a rm that represents many various carriers.

Also, be sure to get several quotes, including those from major

insurance carriers.

SupportIt may be useful to identify community members who support

gardening as part of their profession (e.g. local extension).

Also, consider nding organizations that may help sponsor

a community garden, such as churches, hospitals, parks

and recreation, private businesses, etc. Be sure to track

key information about donors and sponsors in order to build

effective relationships.

> R E S O U R C E S

NC Cooperative ExtensionGives NC residents easy access to resources and expertise

of NC State University and NC A&T State University. Through

educational programs, publications, and events, Cooperative

Extension eld faculty deliver unbiased, research-basedinformation.

www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/garden/CommunityGarden

America the Beautiul FundA non-prot group which receives large seed donations from

major seed companies and distributes them to community and

school gardens Nationwide.

www.america-the-beautiful.org/free_seeds/index.php

Lorrie Otto Seeds or EducationA grant for child-centered projects. The fund gives small

monetary grants to schools, nature centers, or other educationalorganizations for the purchase of native plants and seeds.

www.for-wild.org/seedmony

National Tree TrustProvides grants of one-year-old, regionally appropriate tree

seedlings for planting on public lands (including community

gardens).

www.nationaltreetrust.org

Seeds o ChangeDonates organic seeds to non-prot groups. Each box contains

80 percent vegetable and 20 percent ower and herb seeds.www.seedsofchange.com