I recently read in our local weekly that a new Community Garden has started here in Chico. I mentioned it to a friend of mine who I figured would be excited about such a development. Instead, she looked at me quizzically and asked “what’s a community garden?” Apparently, I had some explaining to do.
A community garden is simply a piece of land gardened by a group of people to grow vegetables, flowers, trees, etc. It can be anywhere – a vacant lot, school, or church grounds. It may be in the middle of nowhere or smack dab in the middle of an urban hub. A community garden is a glorious thing bringing both people and food together. It’s an opportunity for folks without proper gardening space to enjoy the pleasure of home grown food. According to CommunityGarden.org there’s a lot to love about community gardens. Here are a few benefits a community garden offers:
- Improves the quality of life for people in the garden
- Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development
- Stimulates social interaction
- Encourages self-reliance
- Beautifies neighborhoods
- Produces nutritious food
- Reduces family food budgets
- Conserves resources
- Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education
- Reduces crime
- Preserves green space
- Creates income opportunities and economic development
- Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots
- Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections
Location, location, location. That’s the mantra I grew up with having a mom in real estate. It still rings true, even in this tumultuous economy. Beyond location, what about ‘green’ homes? Does having green features increase the value of your home? Does it help your home to sell faster?
