Community Gardens

Community Gardens

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Community gardens are defined by the American Community Garden organization as quite simply any piece of land gardened by a community.  The idea is reminiscent of the Victory Gardens, or war gardens, that the US Government encouraged citizens to plant during WWII so individuals could provide their own fruits and vegetables.  Community gardens can be great for a neighborhood. They can reduce crime, provide a place for people to meet and grow fresh healthy food and get connected with the earth by getting your hands dirty. They are also a way for the community to become more self-reliant and resilient. Knowing how to grow food and provide for yourself can be an empowering set of skills and done right is extremely sustainable. But getting started can be challenging.

Chicago’s motto is “City In A Garden” and both the city and organizations, like NeighborSpace, are working to promote and preserve community gardens.  From May 28, 2010 – September, 20, 2010, the city, alongside NeighborSpace, put on an exhibit called City is a Community Garden.  To see a list of the gardens featured in this exhibit, click this link: Garden labels 2.

To find and join an existing community garden in Chicagoland, check out GreenNet‘s community garden finder or the American Community Garden’s finder tool.

Steps to Starting Your Own Community Garden


How To Start a Community Garden on Howcast

If you’re passionate about starting your own community garden, there are a ton of resources out there for you.  For starters, you can click here for the American Community Garden Association’s publication on starting a community garden or to following link for the University of California Cooperative Extensions  startup_guide.

We’ve also put together this basic checklist (thanks to the above resources!) to help you get started:

  • Get your group together and your neighbors involved
  • Formally organize your group to aid in paying water bills, making decisions, dividing the work and collecting dues
    • Create an official organization? (501c3 or other)
    • Agree on name
  • Locate and acquire/lease land
  • Determine water needs and resources
  • Identify the “champion” for this community garden – needs to be someone from the community who will be the personality that brings the community together
  • Meet with Local Alderman to get them behind the project to help potentially with any zoning or signage requirements (click here to find your Alderman)
  • Search previous uses of the land to help determine whether it  should gardened on (for example, gas stations or dry cleaners)
  • Create an application (click here for what your application could include), agreement (click here for a sample rules and guidelines) and bylaws for community garden members (Click here to see what’s included in formal bylaws)
  • Sketch a site plan (For basic garden design, click here)
    • Consider how many plots
    • Simple irrigation system
    • Secure fencing
    • Tool shed
    • Bench and/or picnic table
    • Shared composting area
    • Organize trash and recycling pick up designate areas
    • Consider a children’s area which could include small plots, sandbox and play equipment
  • Look into insurance coverage on lot
  • Signage – Create content for sign. Identify a local artist to design and create
  • Create budget: Cost involved, i.e., cinder blocks, soil, signage, watering equipment
  • Obtain your money and equipment
  • Get started!

*Currently, no special zoning is required by the Chicago Department of Zoning and Land Use Planning for community gardens and is working to change that.

Additional Chicago Resources

Chicago Park District Community Gardens

The Chicago Park District is providing outdoor space for communities to garden together.  If you and your group are interested in starting a community garden, check out one of the 40 Chicago Park District Community Gardens by clicking here, and join in their cause, or apply to get your own started.  There are several forms and documents needed to start a new community garden in a Chicago Park and can be accessed by clicking the links below or visiting the Chicago Park District Community Garden resource site.

Also through the City of Chicago is GreenCorps.   GreenCorps is community landscaping and job training program offering horticultural instruction, plant materials and technical assistance to organizations who garden in a public space—including schools, faith institutions, libraries, public housing communities and block clubs.  For their 2010 Assistance Application, click here.

NeighborSpace

If you are a community leader or organization that has established a community garden and would like the benefit of being owned by a non-profit and have the extra support to help carry the load of ensuring the survival of your garden, consider contacting NeighborSpace.  NeighborSpace is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to acquire and support the community based management of small parks, gardens, natural areas, river edges, and scenic landscapes in the City of Chicago for preservation, conservation, and educational public open space purposes.

For more seeds, soil and bed resources, please visit Advocates for Urban Agriculture’s wiki!

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