A good model?

**D* B* <d*@yahoo.com>**

Now, here's a loaded questions for us all:

Charlotte, NC, where I live, is just about to go full
bore into community gardening. Trouble is, nobody
knows a thing about it among the Park and Rec
officials who are charged with setting up and leading
the program. They want to go to Philadelphia on a
'fact-finding mission'.

That's all well and good, Sally McCabe is there, they
have a wonderful history. But it is also the same city
where they are reportedly scaling back community
gardens in favor of little suburban clone 'lawns' on
vacant lots, since they are 'easier to manage
successfully'. They also just issued a report that's
very skeptical of urban agriculture, with guarded
optimism limited to hydroponic agribusinesses, a
vision that puts green (money) well ahead of green
(flowers, herbs and veggies).

I'm not convinced by Philly's research, and I'm
certainly not interested in that approach to community
gardening and greening in Charlotte, where we're just
getting started. I appreciated that Philly has raised
some tough issues for debate - don't get me wrong! But
-

My question is this:

What is the best model community garden and greening
program in the country? Why? What's the best place to
send a bunch of open-minded but skeptical good ol'
gals and guys who want to see an effective program in
action? And what's the best way (if there is one) to
set up a program - lead by a public agency (Coop Ext,
Park and Rec, whatever...), or a coalition with an
'umbrella' non-profit as the guiding force?

That's a bunch of questions. Bottom line - where
should we send 'em? Philly? Or somewhere else? And who
(beyond the ACGA website, which is good and getting
better every day) should they talk to.

Cheers,

Don Boekelheide
Charlote, NC

PS: Yes, we do have some successful local gardens to
see. But they insist on going outside the area as well.

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