What are Community Gardens?
Roots, Benefits, and How to Get Involved
When you think of a city, you probably think of soaring skyscrapers, crowded public transportation, and seemingly endless asphalt roads and concrete sidewalks. Although most urban areas consist of extensively built infrastructure, did you know that cities could also be teeming with green spaces and biodiversity?
What is a community garden?
(Hint, there’s no one correct answer!)
Industrial agriculture is defined as “the large-scale, intensive production of crops and animals, often involving chemical fertilizers on crops or the routine, harmful use of antibiotics in animals [...], crops that are genetically modified, heavy use of pesticides, and other practices that deplete the land, mistreat animals, and increase various forms of pollution” (NRDC). Among environmentalists, small, local, and community-based food systems are often referred to as the antithesis of the large-scale, industrialized food system and hailed as the environmentally conscious and sustainable alternative.
““We want to create systems that are rebirthing a healthy environment.””
But what exactly is a community garden? One of the beautiful things about community gardens is that there is no one correct answer; it can largely be whatever you want! Generally, community gardens are collectively owned urban green spaces that are used for the cultivation of vegetables, flowers, herbs, and fruits.
Depending on the type of garden, residents can either rent plots or volunteer to grow crops that serve the community. Community gardens can be used for individuals to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers for their own family’s use. However, the produce grown can also be sold at farmers’ markets, through community-supported agriculture, or donated to shelters or food kitchens.
The Roots of Community Farms are Indigenous
As mentioned above, community gardens work in opposition to industrial agriculture, and we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the influence of indigenous farming practices on localized food systems.
In many ways, community gardens are a return to traditional farming practices that replenish the earth, create a relationship between humans and the land, and instill reverence towards the earth and all it provides. Gardening can aid us in unlearning our industrial, convenient, and fast-food system. It can also reacquaint individuals with the labors and love of self-sufficiency and community-based programs. By implementing small-scale agricultural practices, community members can learn about sustainable farming practices that do not erode soil and move away from monoculture crops by introducing a diverse range of plants.
““Indigenous people are as much part of the land as the land is part of us. We cultivate the land while the land cultivates us. This relationship that has supported my people since time immemorial is remembered daily when we place our fingers in the dirt, pull the weeds from our fields, or plant our seeds with water, prayer, and hope, cook the food which we grow, and ingest the world with each bite of food we eat.””
To build mindfulness of our participation in colonialism and recognize the return to and adoption of indigenous practices, it is important that we learn about our local indigenous tribes and acknowledge the original keepers of the land on which we reside.
What are the benefits of community gardens?
Gardens are Good for the Planet
As alluded to above, there are numerous environmental benefits of community gardens. An increase in green spaces and plant life can improve air and soil quality by filtering out environmental pollutants, increase the overall biodiversity of plants and animals, and improve water infiltration by incorporating permeable soil amongst impermeable streets and sidewalks.
Increased reliance on local and smaller-scale agricultural systems can also reduce the transportation of food which, in turn, drastically reduces carbon emissions and preservative usage associated with food.
Oftentimes, community gardens can become circular systems that grow food and rely on food waste and scraps for compost efforts that go on to nourish the seedlings and other plants in the garden. Considering that 60 million tons of produce are thrown away every year in the United States alone, this circularity will have dramatic benefits, such as decreasing carbon emissions from food sent to landfills.
““In today’s plastic wrapped supermarket society, there is little transparency in how your food was grown, where it came from, how long ago it was harvested, and everything in between. All of those question marks are eliminated when you grow your own food.””
Gardens Bring Jobs and Personal Growth
Community gardens can also enhance economic growth and provide professional opportunities to residents. With some community gardens, there are employment opportunities for community members which can provide basic job skills training and a source of income. Thus, volunteers and employees of community gardens can enter into other job markets while having an enriching transitional employment experience.
If residents are interested in developing their own business, they can gain insights into the different aspects of running a business and form a support network that can offer help throughout the process.
Community members can also save money by participating in small-scale, local farming. The produce grown on community gardens can not only provide food for those growing it, reducing how much these individuals and families need to spend on produce but also the surplus can be sold to generate extra income.
Gardens Improve Human Health and Wellbeing
In today’s sedentary lifestyle, with long workdays often spent sitting at a desk, escaping to the outdoors can prove beneficial for physical and mental wellbeing.
Movement and connection with nature can improve mental health and promote relaxation by providing a break from rigorous schedules and demanding professional, familial, or other responsibilities. community and interpersonal connections between participants.
Physically, folks who participate in community gardens can increase their physical activity through garden maintenance activities, such as digging, planting, and harvesting. Dietary habits can also improve both through education about healthy eating practices and the increased fruit and vegetable supply and intake. The combination of access to healthy, nutritious produce and increased physical activity can ultimately reduce the risk of obesity and other obesity-related diseases and improve quality of life.
Gardens Create Vibrant Urban Areas
Lastly, community gardens can result in many social and environmental justice benefits. By breaking up cement sidewalks, asphalt roads, and industrial infrastructure, community gardens can make cities more beautiful, joyful, and appealing.
Hence the name, community gardens nurture a sense of community, as residents, volunteers, employees, etc. come together with a common purpose and goal, work together to ensure the success of the garden and the plants, and form bonds through a shared love and passion. These communities and the meaningful work done empowers people through education, self-sufficiency, and community support.
Oftentimes, there is civic engagement and activism associated with community gardens, as they are grassroots movements against capitalism and industrialization simply because of their existence. Advocating for food democracy and other democratic reforms is characteristic of many gardeners and farmers after having engaged in the food production system.
““The community-sourced garden models an alternative to the capitalist values of private property, scarcity, speed, and individualism. We have so much scarcity with food. And we don’t have to, you know? This is what I’ve been calling an economy of gifting, because everyone’s giving each other these things, including from nature. The plants are gifting, and we’re gifting to the plants. There’s no capital involved in this. It’s an economy of care.’””
Community gardens can lead to the alleviation of food insecurity and food deserts. There are many environmental justice concerns pertaining to the availability of healthy, nutritious foods to communities of color. Communities of color often lack access to grocery stores and supermarkets with affordable and healthy produce and other foods. Small-scale, local agricultural efforts can work in changing these inequities by selling produce grown through community-based urban farms at farmers’ markets and via community supported agriculture, increasing accessibility to healthy food in low-income areas and/or communities of color. In this way, marginalized communities can see improved nutrition and access to fresh produce.
How to Get Involved in a Community Garden
For opportunities to work with a community farm in Los Angeles, LA Community Garden Council is a great resource! Visit their website for:
Interactive map of community farms
Volunteer opportunities
Upcoming workshops and events
Tips on how to start a community garden
Check out these community gardens in LA:
There are hundreds of community gardens in Los Angeles, so this is by no means a comprehensive list! However, it does provide some insights into the diversity of gardens in the county, ranging in size, mission, location, and services offered.
East Hollywood Community Garden (@easthollywoodcommunitygarden):
East Hollywood Community Garden is a community garden serving East Hollywood and central Los Angeles. It opens to the public twice a week to volunteer and offers visitor hours for interested folks. You can also apply for a plot on their website.
El Sereno Community Garden (@elserenocommunitygarden):
Found on the Garden’s Facebook page: “The El Sereno Community Garden is open to gardeners 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset. The park area is open to the public on Saturday mornings from 8-12 and when there are community events taking place. The garden is run solely by volunteers and donations are always appreciated.”
Good Earth Community Garden (@goodearthcommunitygarden):
Good Earth Community Garden is a community garden in West Adams that was established in 1970.
South Central Farm (@southcentralfarm):
Found on their website: “The South Central Farm Restoration Committee aims to promote the establishment and preservation of green and open space in South Los Angeles, a community where green and open space is woefully rare, as well as promote urban farming, public health, and effective participation in the planning of developments that intimately affect every one of the residents that reside nearby.”
Mott Street Urban Farm (@mottstreeturbanfarm):
Mott St. Urban Farm is located in Boyle Heights and provides produce to nonprofits and the local community.
Roots For Peace LA (@rootsforpeace_la):
Based in South Central Los Angeles, Roots for Peace “utilizes urban farming, leadership development, and community organizing to address health and economic inequities in Los Angeles. We support community members to organize towards a food system that improves access to healthy and cultural foods, rebuilds ancestral connection to the earth, and increases collective power and self-determination.”
Fountain Community Garden (@fountain_community_gardens):
Located in East Hollywood, Fountain Community Garden has many plots and gardeners and is a place where residents can grow food for their families.
South Pas Community Garden (@southpascommunitygarden):
South Pas Community Garden is the City of South Pasadena's first community garden. The garden consists of 39 plots that are available for leasing by households.
Hermosa Beach Community Garden (@hermosabeachcommunitygarden):
The produce harvested from the 55 planter boxes and fruit trees are for community organizations to serve the homeless and economically disadvantaged residents.
Solano Canyon Community Garden (@solanocommunitygarden):
Solano Canyon Community Garden is a small urban farm on 5 acres in Elysian Park. They are currently offering a Free Tree Pickup that community members can apply to until July 24th!
Altadena Community Garden (@altadenacommunitygarden):
Found on the Garden’s website: “The Altadena Community Garden is both space (the Garden itself), and the group of people that runs it (the self-supporting non-profit organization) in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (LACDPR). The Garden is a space of two and one-half acres divided into some 64 garden plots, along with a large common area that includes a parking area, large deck, and storage sheds. Garden members pay an annual membership fee that entitles them to use their plot; to use the common area; and to use tools owned by the Garden.”
Compton Community Garden (@comptongardens):
The Compton Community Garden offers workdays and classes to teach the basics of organic gardening and grows healthy food to positively impact the community.
Grow Good (@grow_good):
Grow Good, a nonprofit urban farm, offers fresh fruit and vegetables to the Salvation Army Bell Shelter’s 500 residents, employees paid work for residents through The Transitional Employment Program, holds Food For Life Skills classes, and runs a Culinary Program with a Farm-to-Table emphasis.
Growing Hope Gardens (@growinghopegardens):
Growing Hope Gardens has opened and expanded 9 urban, organic, resident gardens and orchards, at 9 affordable housing properties and 1 homeless shelter in Los Angeles County since 2019.
The Growing Experience (@thegrowingexperience):
The Growing Experience is a community garden in the Carmelitos Public Housing Development in North Long Beach, California. According to their website, The Growing Experience “seeks to cultivate a sustainable and ethical local food system by providing equitable access to natural foods, promoting social justice through community engagement, and operating as stewards of the land.”
Spring Street Community Garden (@springstgarden):
Spring Street Community Garden, located on South Spring Street, has over 35 raised beds, compost bins, and picnic tables and advocates for low-income and homeless residents of Los Angeles.
Ocean View Farms (@oceanviewfarms):
Ocean View Farms, located on South Centinela Avenue, provides many plots to choose from. The mission of Ocean View Farms “is to provide the surrounding urban community with a place to garden, promote and practice organic gardening techniques, maintain a green space in the community, provide education and guidance in the growing of plants and the recycling of waste through composting, and encourage the members' participation in gardening activities that benefit the community.”
Emerson Avenue Community Garden (@emersonavegarden):
Located at Orville Wright Middle School, this community garden is run entirely by volunteers. Emerson Avenue Garden is a nonprofit garden that only grows organic produce. It serves a dual purpose, being used for education and community building by both the school as well as the public.
Fruits and Vegetables to Grow in Your Community Garden
SPRING
Beets: Early March
Celery: March
Cucumbers: March
Lettuce: March
Tomatoes: March
Spinach: March
SUMMER
Corn: Plant the seeds in June
Cucumbers: June for a late or second harvest
Peppers: June for late harvest
Squash: June
Tomatoes: June (It’s also possible to keep spring tomato plants pollinating and producing throughout the summer)
SUMMER - FALL
Kale
Spinach
Beans
Peppers
Tomatoes
WINTER
Peas: Late September
Beets: Late September
Carrots: Late September
Radishes: Late September
Turnips: Late September
Cauliflower: October
Cabbage: October
Broccoli: October
Kale: October
Cauliflower: October
Cauliflower: February
Beets: February planting
Bell Peppers: December and January
Broccoli: February
Cabbage: February
Carrots: Late January and early February
Peas
Chives: February
Kale: February
Lettuce: February
Herbs to Grow in Your Community Garden
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Lavender
SOURCES
Smart Cities Dive, Community Gardens are Instruments of Empowerment
Bioneers, Decolonizing Regenerative Agriculture and Indigenous Perspectives
Green Leaf Communities, The Many Benefits of Community Gardens
Urban farm provides homeless shelter residents with good food and opportunities
A Community Garden With Radical Potential Blossoms in Los Angeles
LA Garden Council, Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles Urban Gardens