Community Garden workday. This plot in-between a parking lot and a street grows food for a food shelf and was one of my first blogs.
Community Gardens
These gardens have the ability to take a single piece of land, work its soil collectively and deepen our growth both as individuals and part of our local community. With more people living in housing with limited or yard space, these kinds gardens are rapidly growing.
Like most things that develop organically, community gardens are as varied as the communities they take root in. The one thing all community gardens offer is garden space for gardeners to grow. It’s the ‘who, what, where, when, why and how’ that makes each garden unique.
These gardens find their homes on city, county, school district, faith based and privately owned land. Just like the kinds of produce grown, there are an infinite number of combinations and variations of garden structures limited only by the organizers’ imaginations.
The University of Minnesota’s horticultural department recently published a guide to starting a community garden and wanted to share it HERE!
Minneapolis Community Gardens
The City of Minneapolis runs eight community gardens, and has land set aside for double that in the upcoming years! Follow the link to find out more about getting a plot at one of these maintained community gardens!
Minneapolis Community Garden Link
Ramsey County Community Gardens
Ramsey County’s List of current Community Gardens includes 8 locations, plus a link to find the many housed within the city of St. Paul- in general these are pretty well scattered throughout the county. Find a LISTING of gardens or click on the:
Ramsey County Community Garden MAP
Local Community Gardens
Below are a few favorite Metro community gardens where you’ll learn from others and grow so much more than food.
Edgerton Community Gardens
New gardener registration is available online if you want to nab a plot or a raised bed here. You can rent either a 12’ x 15’ plot or 4’ x 8’ raised bed (eighteen inches height, priority for raised beds will be given to those with self-reporting mobility issues, though not wheelchair accessible) for $25-35. Their season runs April 27-October 24.
Oasis Park in Roseville
This is the largest rentable community garden I found, with 120 garden plots measuring 15’X20’. The single plots are rented for between $20-$30. Registration opens to all Roseville residents on April 2 and opens to all on April 16. Garden is open for planting May 1- October 31. Mark your calendars!
Tatum Park Community Garden
Tatum Park Community Garden is on Taylor Ave in the Hamline Midway neighborhood of St. Paul, just west of Newell Park. There are 20 plots and about 3/4 of the members are returning. There’s a Facebook page too! Or email to grab the last of those garden plots! Their annual meeting is usually scheduled for late April. You can also email: tatumparkgarden
White Bear Area YMCA Community Garden
YMCA Gardeners grew a beautiful variety of flowers and vegetables last season!
Set on the grounds of an old skate park, the garden is greening up this piece of black top.
You can contact the YMCA front desk at 651-777-8103 or message me directly to reserve a plot.
Mahtomedi Community Gardens
The Mahtomedi Community Garden on the first day of Spring, 2018
These gardens sit behind the District Education Center building on a sunny expanse of land. These are popular garden beds, measuring in at 9’X11.5’ go for $40 each. To register, follow this LINK . These gardens were lovingly started by a couple of dedicated teachers over a decade ago- thank you teachers! At least one plot is always reserved for the Mahtomedi Food Shelf. Way to grow Mahtomedi!
Health Partners Community Garden
Health Partners WBL Clinic garden all prepped and spring planted!
It just seems right that a health clinic should have access to fresh vegetables, right?!
Well some visionary Doctors and staff decided to make it happen a few years ago and the garden has been growing, and sharing its produce with the White Bear Food Shelf ever since. They have a great space and good workplace involvement, and are considering expanding this season again. This garden is maintained by the staff at the Health Partners clinic as a way to build their own community, and ‘be the change’.
Sumner Park Community Garden
Community Gardens are inspiring people to get growing all across this beautiful land of ours, hopefully I’ve inspired you to look into a way you can get involved in a community garden near you!
If you happen to have space on your own lot for another garden bed, and you want to grow more food FOR your community, consider starting a giving garden of your own!
I’ve got serious Spring Fever and can’t wait to Dig In!
Michelle
