The best way to start living healthy is to eat healthily, and community gardens are made to serve this purpose!Instead of wasting money on non-organic processed greens, invest in a community that works together to create fresh and healthy produce; beneficial for your mental and physical health. More than being a source of fresh foods, community gardening encourages people to spend time together in urban areas.In an age where everything is just a click away, people are breaking away from a healthy lifestyle, especially in urban neighborhoods. Community gardening encourages people to step out of their usual lifestyle and reap the benefits of community support. Community gardening is a healthy way for people to understand healthy food requirements, tackle gardening challenges, and work towards community development.What are community gardens?Community gardens are gardening spaces located in urban neighborhoods, within private properties or local gardens, providing people with a plot of land to farm healthy foods, fruits, and flowers. People can either cultivate alone or collectively with local gardeners.Community gardens are gardening spaces with community ownership.Community garden encourages building non-commercial gardening and food plants.The land is divided into subplots for individual and group cultivation.Community gardens offer gardening space within public or private properties.Fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs are some of the most frequently grown products in community gardens.Local gardeners report improved health and community relationships with active involvement.Community gardens offer food security to local gardeners with support to local produce.Community gardens work both as a neighborhood improvement program and an organic producing source.It motivates people to reduce their reliance on processed foods.Neighborhood gardens allow communities to come together and cultivate in a nearby location, this can be public or private properties.Residential gardens are offered to communities living in housing units, residential complexes, and other assisted living spaces.Institutional gardens are connected with private and public institutions to provide urban agriculture as a practice to improve skills or heal health concerns.Demonstration gardens are used to educate communities with demonstrations of urban agriculture practices.The Benefits Of Having A Community GardenKnowing the source of your food provides you with the knowledge to maintain a healthy intake as well as curb calorie count. Community gardens introduce healthy food culture as well as bring community members together towards building healthy relations with people by working together. This step towards public health ensures the community grows together, delivering both physical and mental health benefits.A community-building activity creates a sense of togetherness among people.The garden provides a place to share food.A garden also fuels healthy eating habits.Also, local gardeners are supported through this initiative.A community garden is a never-ending supply of organic vegetables, fresh fruits, and flowers.It reduces plastic waste from store-bought vegetables.A garden like this encourages people to take part in physical activity for better health.It also saves us from spending money on unhealthy produce from supermarkets.Of course, a community garden helps people reconnect with nature.Exchange of farming, conservation, and composting knowledge among the community can take place through a community garden.Garden parties can be held here to get closer to the people you live around.Community gardens beautify concrete neighborhoods with hints of greens and floral.A garden of this sort encourages a flow of fresh air around the neighborhood.Access to fresh produce and improved food security is also a plus.It also motivates people to take part in physical activity.Community gardening is a form of horticulture therapy, that emphasizes people taking over gardening spaces and getting actively involved in these engaging activities.The Origin Of Community GardensThe history of local community gardens roots back to the days of industrialization and raging urbanization in Europe and North America. Urban decline, wars, and recession were some of the common causes behind the origin of community gardens. Urbanization has still made ‘food deserts’ a very common aspect of urban neighborhoods, probably why health concerns are equally rooted among communities. Community gardening, since then, has helped millions regulate better eating habits.Community gardens stepped into urban spaces with the onset of industrialization.The earliest wave of community gardening led people to initiate gardens and mini-farms in urban spaces, called jardin d’ouvrier or the worker’s garden.World War I and World War II saw the second wave of community gardening.OPEC crisis brought the most recent wave of community gardening, in the ’70s.Community gardens have been a part of history to survive several crises.The current facing wave of the community garden is related to rising ecological concerns.Lifestyle regulation has brought profound attention to community gardening.The benefits of community gardens are now reaped by urban communities moving towards healthier foods.Veganism is encouraging people to seek a community garden.Community building is practiced when people garden together.People shifting from rural areas to urban, bring along community gardening as a part of their culture.Rising prices of organic foods were a common reason many people picked community gardening.Policies went into place to encourage community gardening practices.In 2002, New York reached a settlement to offer protection to numerous community gardening spaces.Features Of A Community GardenCommunity gardens include several features that make them distinct from farms or any personal garden space. Local community gardeners utilize features of community gardens together by sharing knowledge, resources, tools, and gardening plots as well. Let’s find out various features of a community garden.Community gardens have designated land spaces to sow desired plants.Regulated community gardens offer tools and handbooks to get started.Meeting new people helps learn more about new cultures and assimilate the same in eating habits.Community gardens led by head figures grant countless ways to reap the freshest local produce.Members can learn about the process of composting to reduce and reuse waste.Gardens are fenced to keep harmful objects and animals at bay.Paths between produce beds can easily help navigate and invigilate growing plants.Common areas are also located with seats and tables to enjoy leisure time amid these fresh greens.There are designated areas to keep tools, seeds, water hoses, and other farming resources.Compost bins can be found in community-operated gardens.Resources can be shared with fellow gardeners.Community gardeners enjoy a bulk of invaluable skills by working together.You can share local community tools, resources, produces, fertilizers, and other required products.Community gardens offer a different perspective from different group members, resulting in countless expert contributions and advice.
The best way to start living healthy is to eat healthily, and community gardens are made to serve this purpose!
