Can Simple Community Gardening Solve Food Hunger?

Admin

February 20, 2019

Community Gardening,Food Desert

Did you know that you could have the opportunity to save millions of people from hunger and food insecurity through community gardening?

Story highlights

In-depth understanding of raised garden beds
The importance of having raised garden beds on your next gardening projects

Yes, you can!

Haven’t heard about community gardens and their benefits? Then it’s about time to go out and become more active and involved in your neighborhood. But read this first…

What exactly is a community garden…what is it for?

Community gardens are places where people of all ages gather for a common goal – to grow fruits, herbs, vegetables and flowers. This type of gardening encourages people in the neighborhood to become closer and beautify their community at the same time.

But that’s not all. There’s a much deeper and more significant reason why each and every one of us should participate in this type of activity.

Benefits of community gardens in Food deserts , hunger, and food Insecurity

Studies have shown that there are hundreds of places in the United States alone that are declared by the government as food deserts.

A food desert is an area where there’s no easy access to supermarkets and grocery stores for people to buy fresh and nutritious foods. This in turn results in food insecurity. And since these areas are often surrounded by fast-food chains, malnutrition among children, obesity, and even hunger is rampant.

Community gardens bring simple gardening to the next level because it greatly helps in ensuring that fresh and healthy food is available and accessible to the neighborhood. As a result, the number of hungry families, obese people, and malnourished children is greatly reduced.

Is this isn’t enough reason for you to be active and involved in your community’s gardening projects? Imagine how many kids or families can be saved from being hungry just by simply planting fruits and vegetables in your community.

But there’s more…

Health benefits that you can get from taking part in a community garden

If you are living in the city, you’ll find community gardens as a perfect spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban living.

In addition, gardening activities can significantly lower stress level, boost self-esteem and help combat depression. In fact, studies have shown that gardening is an effective way in treating different mental health issues. These include, but not limited to depression, dementia, and anxiety to name a few.

Doing your part

The blatant reality is hunger, food insecurity and food desert cannot be eradicated overnight. But this fact shouldn’t stop us from doing our part in resolving this global problem. This is absolutely a great tool in fighting these issues, so let’s take advantage of it.

So you’re not sure whether joining a community garden is for you?

At this point, you already know about the benefits and issues that this type of gardening can solve. That’s why it’s very tempting to just jump on the idea of growing plants side by side with the people in your neighborhood. But the hesitance is there.

If this is your first time to hear about neighborhood gardens, then for sure, you don’t really know what to expect from it. So it’s best that you ask yourself these questions first before you join one.

Things you should ask yourself before participating in your neighborhood gardening

There are three main materials that are used in building raised gardens: wood, plastic, and metal. Each has its own set of pros and cons. Here’s a breakdown of each one:

Wood – Wooden raised garden beds are easy to make and maintain, but they may not last as long as other raised beds, as they can rot if not properly maintained. Wooden raised beds are great for people who want to build their own raised bed from scratch.
Plastic – Plastic raised beds can last a long time if properly maintained, but they may be more expensive than wooden raised beds. Plastic raised beds are great for people who want an easy-to-clean, low-maintenance, long-lasting raised garden bed.
Metal Metal-raised garden beds are great for people who have issues with pests and need a raised bed that will be resistant to pests. They are also often very durable, but they may be more expensive than other types of raised beds.

Question no. 1. How much interest do you have in growing plants?

This is a very important question. Your level of interest and passion for growing plants will determine your eagerness to participate in your neighborhood garden consistently. As with any other endeavor or hobby, you should put your heart into it so that it will succeed. Otherwise, this activity may not be the perfect fit for you. You can always ask and find out how you can assist in these community gardens. You might be able to help them by doing related paper works.

Question no. 2. Are you willing to give neighborhood gardening the time it needs?

Take note that there’s no autopilot button when it comes to growing plants. Herbs, veggies, fruits, and flowers don’t grow on their own. You need to tend it so that they would thrive and be ready come harvest time.

gardening
The good news is, while gardening in your neighborhood will require regular upkeep, you don’t have to be there on a daily basis. Once or twice a week is fine. Remember, this is a group effort, which means there’s always someone tending the garden while you’re not around.

Question no. 3. Is it okay for you to do volunteer work?

Are you willing to give your services for free? Most community gardens will entail volunteer work. It will depend on a neighborhood garden’s rules or guidelines.

The consolation you may have for your hard work is getting shares for the produce. So it might be a good idea to ask your community garden leaders about this beforehand.

Question no. 4. Do you like working with different kinds of people?

Gardening in the community involves working with people of all ages and backgrounds. This is why community gardens are considered to be a good way to improve a person’s social life. Of course, you’ll also get to know and become friends with the people in your neighborhood.

If most or all of your answer is yes to these questions, then go ahead and join community garden initiatives in your area. Otherwise, you might want to give it some more thinking, or better yet find yourself a hobby that you’re really keen of.

The truth is…

There are lots of ways to help those hungry kids and families in your area or worldwide for that matter. As a matter of fact, you can always donate to these causes. However, nothing compares to the feeling of pride and accomplishment that joining a community garden can bring.

Tags :

Community Gardening,Food Desert