24th August 2009

Starting a Community Garden

There are many ways to start a community garden. Whether you're working with
friends, neighbors, or a local organization, there are many things you'll want
to consider before you ever dig the first hole.


FORM A PLANNING COMMITTEE
- Determine if there really is a need and desire for a garden.
- What kind of garden--vegetable, flower, trees, a combination?
- Who will the garden serve--youth, seniors, special populations, people who
just want an alternative to trash?
- If the project is meant to benefit a particular group or neighborhood, it
is essential that the group be involved in all phases.
- Organize a meeting of interested people.
- Choose a well-organized garden coordinator.
- Form committees to accomplish tasks: Funding & Resource Development;
Youth Activities; Construction; Communication.
- Approach a sponsor. A sponsor is an individual or organization that
supports a community garden. Site sponsorship can be a tremendous asset.
- Contributions of land, tools, seeds, fencing, soil improvements or money are
all vital to a successful community garden. Some community gardens can provide
most of their provisions through fees charged to the membership; but for many, a
garden sponsor is essential. Churches, schools, citizens groups, private
businesses, local parks and recreation departments are all potential supporters.

Community Development Block Grants are sometimes available through your
municipality.
- Make a list of what needs to be done.
- Find a garden site.
- Obtain lease or agreement from owner.
- Decide on a mailing address and central telephone number(s). Try to have at
least 3 people who are very familiar with all pertinent information. Form a
telephone tree.
- If your community garden has a budget, keep administration in the hands of
several people.
- Choose a name for the garden.


CHOOSE A SITE
- Identify the owner of the land.
- Make sure the site gets at least 6 full hours of sunlight daily (for
vegetables).
- Do a soil test in the fall for nutrients & heavy metals.
- Consider availability of water.
- Try and get a lease or agreement which allows the space to be used at least
for 3 years.
- Consider past uses of the land. Is there any contamination?
- Is insurance something you need to consider?

PREPARE AND DEVELOP THE SITE
- Clean the site.
- Develop your design.
- Gather your resources--try to gather free materials.
- Organize volunteer work crews.
- Plan your work day.
- Decide on plot sizes, mark plots clearly with gardener's names.
- Include plans for a storage area for tools and other equipment, as well as a
compost area.
- Have a rainproof bulletin board for announcing garden events and
messages.
- Arrange for land preparation--plowing, etc--or let gardeners do their own
prep.
- Will the garden be organic?
- Lay out garden to place flower or shrub beds around the visible
perimeter. This helps to promote good will with non-gardening neighbors,
passersby, and municipal authorities.

ORGANIZE THE GARDEN
- Are there conditions for membership (residence, dues, agreement with
rules)?
- How will plots be assigned (by family size, by residency, by need, by group--
i.e., youth, elderly, etc.)?
- How large should plots be (or should there be several sizes based on
family size or other factors?
- How should plots be laid out?
- If the group charges dues, how will the money be used? What services, if any,
will be provided to gardeners in return?
- Will the group do certain things cooperatively (such as turning in soil in the
spring, planting cover crops, or composting)?
- When someone leaves a plot, how will the next tenant be chosen?
- How will the group deal with possible vandalism?
- Will there be a children's plot?
- Will the gardeners meet regularly? If so, how often and for what
purposes?
- Will gardeners share tools, hoses, and other such items?
- How will minimum maintenance (especially weeding) be handled both inside plots
and in common areas (such as along fences, in flower beds, and in sitting
areas)?
- Will there be a set of written rules which gardeners are expected to
uphold? If so, how will they be enforced?
- Should your group incorporate and consider eventually owning your garden site?

INSURANCE
It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain leases from landowners without
liability insurance. Garden insurance is a new thing for many insurance carriers
and their underwriters are reluctant to cover community gardens. It helps if you
know what you want before you start talking to agents. Two tips: you should
probably be working with an agent from a firm which deals with many different
carriers (so you can get the best policy for your needs) and you will probably
have better success with someone local who has already done this type of policy
or one that works with social service agencies in the area.

SETTING UP A NEW GARDENING ORGANIZATION
Many garden groups are organized very informally and operate
successfully.Leaders "rise to the occasion" to propose ideas and carry out
tasks. However, as the workload expands, many groups choose a more formal
structure for their organization.

A structured program is a means to an end. It is a conscious, planned effort to
create a system so that each person can participate fully and the group can
perform effectively. It's vital that the leadership be responsive to the
members. Structure will help an organization to last; it will promote trust; it
will help your group grow and create new opportunities for leaders to develop.

If your group is new, have several planning meetings to discuss your program and
organization. Try out suggestions raised at these meetings and after a few
months of operation, you'll be in a better position to develop bylaws or
organizational guidelines. A community garden project should be kept simple as
possible, whether large or small.

Bylaws are rules that govern the internal affairs of an organization: they are
officially recorded by the State or Province in which your organization resides.
They are required when you form a nonprofit corporation, but are useful even if
your group is a club or a group of neighbors. Many battles are won simply
because one side has more pieces of paper to wave than the other. It's helpful
to look over bylaws from other similar organizations if you are incorporating.

Guidelines and Rules (see TROUBLESHOOTING for examples) are less formal than
Bylaws, and are often adequate enough for a garden group that has no intention
of incorporating.


Organizational Considerations:
- What is your purpose? What are your short and long-term objectives?
- How are decisions to be made? Who chooses leaders and how?
- How will work be shared? Who does what?
- How will you raise money? Membership dues, fund raising, grants,
sponsors?
- Are you open to change? Flexibility is important when goals and members
change. Do you want to be incorporated or act as a club?

What goes into formal Bylaws:
- Full official name of organization and legal address.
- Organizing members, names and addresses.
- The (brief description of the) purpose, goals and philosophy of the
organization.
- Membership categories and eligibility requirements.
- Membership dues, how much and when paid.
- Specify when and how often regular or special meetings of the membership are
to be held, as well as regular and annual meetings of the board of directors.
- State what officers are necessary, how they are chosen, length of term, their
duties and how vacancies are filled.
- Organizational dissolution processes
- State special committees, their purpose and how they operate.
- Establish a system so that bylaws can be rescinded or amended, maybe by a
simple majority. State any official policies or practices: e.g.. garden group
will avoid the use of hazardous substances; group will agree to keep all
adjacent sidewalks in good repair and free of ice and snow in season; group will
make all repairs necessary to keep equipment, fences and furniture in good order
and repair.
- Include a Hold Harmless clause (sample):
"We the undersigned members of the (name) garden group hereby agree to hold
harmless (name owner) from and against any damage, loss, liability, claim,
demand, suit, cost and expense directly or indirectly resulting from, arising
out of or in connection with the use of the (name) garden by the garden
group,its successors, assigns, employees, agents and invites."

For more information about whether to incorporate as a non-profit organization a
state function) or to get tax deductible charitable (501(c)3) status (a federal
IRS function), go to:
http://www.tgci.com/magazine/96summer/tobe1.asp http://www.nolo.com/article.cfm

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR COMMUNITY GARDEN
In order to offer a high quality community garden program, good
managementtechniques are essential. Included in this fact sheet are the main
ideas to consider in management, along with many different ways to carry them
out.

Having written rules is very important with older groups as well as new
gardens,since they spell out exactly what is expected of a gardener. They also
make it much easier to deal with challenges as they arise.

Sample Guidelines and Rules
Some may be more relevant to vegetable gardens than to community flower gardens
or parks. Pick and choose what best fits your situation.

- I will pay a fee of $___ to help cover garden expenses.
- I will have something planted in the garden by (date) and keep it planted all
summer long.
- If I must abandon my plot for any reason, I will notify the garden
leadership.
- I will keep weeds at a minimum and maintain the areas immediately
surrounding my plot if any.
- If my plot becomes unkempt, I understand I will be given 1 week's noticeto
clean it up. At that time, it will be re-assigned or tilled in.
- I will keep trash and litter out of the plot, as well as from adjacent
pathways and fences.
- I will participate in the fall cleanup of the garden.
- I will plant tall crops where they will not shade neighboring plots.
- I will pick only my own crops unless given permission by another plot user.
- I will not use fertilizers, insecticides or weed repellents that will in any
way affect other plots.
- I agree to volunteer hours toward community gardening efforts.(include a list
of volunteer tasks which your garden needs).
- I will not bring pets to the garden.
- I understand that neither the garden group nor owners of the land are
responsible for my actions. I THEREFORE AGREE TO HOLD HARMLESS THE GARDEN GROUP
AND OWNERS OF THE LAND FOR ANY LIABILITY, DAMAGE, LOSS OR CLAIM THAT OCCURS IN
CONNECTION WITH USE OF THE GARDEN BY ME OR ANY OF MY GUESTS.

Application forms can include any of the following information:

Name(s)
Address Zip
Telephone number:
Days
Evenings
Site Preference:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Size of plot. (list choices available)
Season:
Year round (must be maintained all year)
Short season (include dates)
Check the appropriate items:

- I am a senior citizen
- I am physically disabled
- This is my first year at this garden
- I would like a garden next to a friend, Name
- I have gardened here before and would like plot #___ if available
- I have gardened before at (where?); for how long?

TROUBLESHOOTING
Vandalism is a common fear among community gardeners. However, the fear tends to
be much greater than the actual incidence. Try these proven methods to deter
vandalism:

- Make a sign for the garden. Let people know to whom the garden belongs and
that it is a neighborhood project.
- Fences can be of almost any material. They serve as much to mark
possession of a property as to prevent entry, since nothing short of razor-wire
and land mines will keep a determined vandal from getting in. Short picket
fences or turkey wire will keep out dogs and honest people.
- Create a shady meeting area in the garden and spend time there.
- Invite everyone in the neighborhood to participate from the very
beginning. Persons excluded from the garden are potential vandals.
- Involve the neighborhood children in learning gardens. They can be the
garden's best protectors. (see below.)
- Plant raspberries, roses or other thorny plants along the fence as a
barrier to fence climbers.
- Make friends with neighbors whose windows overlook the garden. Trade them
flowers and vegetables for a protective eye.
- Harvest all ripe fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. Red tomatoes
falling from the vines invite trouble.
- Plant potatoes, other root crops or a less popular vegetable such as
kohlrabi along the side walk or fence.
- Plant the purple varieties of cauliflower and beans or the white eggplant to
confuse a vandal.
- Plant a "vandal's garden" at the entrance. Mark it with a sign: "If you must
take food, please take it from here.

Children's Plots
- Children included in the garden process become champions of the cause rather
than vandals of the garden. Therefore your garden may want to allocate some
plots specifically for children. The "children's garden" can help market your
idea to local scout troops, day cares, foster grandparent programs, church
groups, etc.
- Consider offering free small plots in the children's garden to children whose
parents already have a plot in the garden.

People Problems and Solutions
Angry neighbors and bad gardeners pose problems for a community garden. Usually
the two are related. Neighbors complain to municipal governments about messy,
unkempt gardens or rowdy behavior; most gardens can ill afford poor relations
with neighbors, local politicians or potential sponsors. Therefore, choose
bylaws carefully so you have procedures to follow when members fail to keep
their plots clean and up to code. A well-organized garden with strong leadership
and committed members can overcome almost any obstacle.

RESOURCES

Cooperative Extension Service in your county
Garden Clubs
Horticultural Societies
Garden Centers

Seeds:
America the Beautiful Fund
725 15th St. NW, Suite 605,Dept. AG
Washington D.C. 20005
202-838-1649

Garden Centers and Hardware Stores

Bedding plants:
Local nurseries
Vocational-Tech Horticulture Department
High school Horticulture classes
Parks Department