A section of the garden at the second safety house in Sada, South Africa.
At The Positive Change Project we are big advocates of gardens as tools to help better people’s lives, and have seen it first hand with the three gardens we planted in Sada for two AIDS orphan safety homes. These gardens have the obvious benefit providing food for the AIDS orphans and their caretakers. In addition to the sustenance, the kids are also charged with the task of working these gardens which teaches them invaluable lessons in hard work and how you can benefit directly from it.
In the states gardens have helped transform communities by providing a beautiful place to work with and socialize with neighbors. Even in the cement city of New York, there are several community gardens and urban farms that help keep things fresh and local. At Queen’s County Farm Museum, there is a small piece of “big apple agriculture” that provides urban and suburban residents a chance to buy fresh products and to meet farmers and ranchers and learn more about where food comes from. It is a way for the residents of New York to participate in buying local produce and it has been a working farm since 1697! What an awesome blend of city and country life.
As you can tell we love the power of gardens and believe that they can be utilized anywhere. Here are 5 reasons to support and/or participate in community gardens. No matter where you live you will find that community gardens:
- Improve the quality of life for people in the garden – it gives people something to look forward to, a reason to get outside and a way to really be connected to the food you consume.
- Provide a catalyst for neighborhood and community development – once a community comes together to create a community garden, there is no stopping what can come next. It truly brings people together to create positive changes in their community.
- Encourage Self-Reliance – a way for those who have a tight food budget to grow food for themselves in a sustainable and truly beautiful way.
- Create income opportunities and economic development – often community gardens and farms sell their delicious produce that can generate a serious source of income for those involved. One great example right here in these five Burroughs is the Queens County Farm.
- Produce nutritious food – people tend to eat fast food because it is cheap, but nothing is cheaper than growing and eating your own nutritious food.
Community Gardens are an example of a way to really create a positive change in a community in a sustainable and truly beneficial way, which we love! What are your thoughts on community gardens?
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Posted By: Jill on May 16, 2011