Your Big Box Grocery Store Doesn’t Want You to Read This…
Get In Babe, We’re Going Gardening!
The world, especially in the United States, is in… a state… right now. No matter how you align yourself politically, religiously, or ideologically, we can all agree things could be better.
The problems that plague you aren’t so far away from the problems that plague your next door neighbor, your cashier, your doctor, your waiter, or your kid’s teacher:
Groceries cost too much.
Gas prices are through the roof.
Third spaces (places that aren’t home or work where people can relax) are disappearing in droves.
The places we live feel less and less safe – your kid has to pass through metal detectors every morning just to enter their grade school, for heaven’s sake.
There’s always a new headline about the almost cartoonishly evil schemes and lengths corporations are willing to go to turn a profit.
The folks you pass on the sidewalk aren’t potential friends anymore. They’re strangers.
Trust in our society and the structures meant to support it has all but been eroded into oblivion. Don’t you miss feeling at ease?
At the end of the day, we all want the same things: people to love and who love us back, tasty food in our bellies, a safe and comfortable place to rest our heads, and a life full of happiness.
When everything is falling apart at the seams, what are you supposed to do?
The answer is simple: start a community garden.
(Or get involved with one. That counts too!)
What’s a Community Garden?
A community garden is a kind of third space in a public place, such as a park, that is tended to by the citizens of a local area. These gardens are typically owned by the city or nonprofit organizations, and they’re run by volunteers. These volunteers are usually organized by a garden club that takes responsibility for the garden itself.
From professional plant nerds (agriculturalists, botanists, etc), to avid hobbyists, to budding enthusiasts, no set of hands goes unappreciated by a community garden. Community members are usually free to harvest what they need from the garden, or the garden may choose to donate its harvest to local food pantries and shelters to help support the most vulnerable members of our neighborhood.
The Goose and the Common
Community gardens aren’t a novel idea. Back in the 1800s (and likely well before then, too), most towns and villages had an area known as “the common(s).”
The common was a community space tended to by all, owned by none. If a family was struggling in a difficult season, they could take a goose from the common to have for dinner. A little work from everyone meant that no one, not you or your neighbor, ever had to face starvation in times of need and scarcity.
At some point along the way, the lords of these territories started fencing in the common, claiming it for themselves and charging for its use. No more geese from the common. Despite your free labor to maintain the common, you must pay for access to its resources.
This cultural shift was the first of many nails in the coffin that sealed food and access to it as a capitalist commodity, instead of an essential resource. That shift echoes still in a quiet kind of violence today. Food today is more abundant than ever in human history, and yet, it is among our least guaranteed resources.
You need food, I need food, your neighbor needs food. Why pay out the nose for it, when you could instead have a community commons?
Benefits of a Community Garden
For both you and your neighbor, the benefits to having a well-maintained community garden are endless. Let’s break it down:
For You
When you start or participate in a community garden, you unlock all kinds of hidden benefits. Aside from season to season access to fresh produce that you’re able to trace from seed to table, you’re in store for a host of side-quest style fun:
- New Friends
Community gardens are social hubs that cross generations! You get to know your neighbors, who value the same things as you, and grow relationships alongside your vegetables - Family Friendly Space
Spaces that are equally as available to kids as they are to adults are harder to come by. Kids in community gardens aren’t just welcome – they’re encouraged! Teaching the next generation an appreciation for the Earth and its bounties ensures a thriving environment for all. - Lessons in Patience and Reward
In a world where we’re constantly surrounded by quick fixes and immediate gratification, the practice of gardening helps rewire your brain to enjoy the rewards that come from long term patience and diligence. - Reduced Stress
Science has found time and time again that time in nature is measurably good for you. Between the sunlight and the engagement with plants, your stress response will see measurable improvement - Reduced Screen Time
It’s hard to be on your phone while you’re knuckle-deep into a garden bed. Take the opportunity to disconnect – your eyes will thank you!
For Your Neck of the Woods
The collective benefits of a community garden are the real kicker; these benefits help address all of the headaches and pains we experience in our day to day lives.
- Safer Streets
Science shows that communities with better food security have lower rates of crime. Food security reduces the incidence of violent crime by as much as 12% in previously insecure areas. - Better Nutrition
Consistent access to affordable, nutritious food reduces the rates of chronic health conditions across all demographics, leading to better health outcomes later in life. - Local Beauty
Plants, flowers, and edible flora all contribute to a more vibrant neighborhood appearance. This discourages criminal activity while also increasing surrounding property value. - Local Habitats
The fauna of your area directly benefit from the flora you nurture. Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and birds, will thrive. This actively helps contribute to a healthier ecosystem. - Education
Whether you’re learning from more experienced gardeners, or if you’re sharing your knowledge, these gardens and events open up a wealth of knowledge to be shared, free of charge, with everyone. Knowledge empowers us all to take better care of ourselves, our homes, our planet, and each other.
So… See you at the Garden?
Revolution is a big, intimidating word, charged with all kinds of energy. But sometimes, the real change we’re craving starts in our neck of the woods, and it looks like showing up, trying something new, and caring about our neighbor. In caring for our neighbor, we care for both ourselves and our posterity.
Now that sounds like a change for the better, don’t you think?
We’re not saying you have to do full-on homesteading and abandon your grocery store altogether.
What we are saying is it’s pretty cool to harvest a head of broccoli to have with your dinner, knowing you helped grow it.
It’s even cooler to know your neighbor can do the same.
Tell us all about your community garden adventures! Write us an email, or find us on Instagram or Facebook! We can’t wait to hear all about your experience.
Our goose, our commons. Together, we can make the world a better, greener place.