Sacramento's Community Garden

---

Thanks Adam for posting the article from the local paper… it was a GREAT day centered around community gardening…once given the green light to starting tilling in February we are now reaping the first harvests from Sacramento First community garden in the parks and rec dept…

 

The mayor and a few council members were there to give speeches and give praise for the garden and the efforts that produced a beautiful green space in the heart of the downtown area.

They were VERY impressed on how far the garden has come since February!

 

2 other gardens are ready to open and another 6 are planned for on paper.  Plus community gardens are getting planned for area around Sacramento, Elk Grove, Auburn, Placerville, Loomis, Rocklin, Folsom and Winters

 

My advice to others that would like to see community gardens start to bloom in their cities and neighborhoods is get involved!... work from the inside, get on the parks and recreation commission, and push the agenda on the subject when ever possible others are doing it for their interests like more soccer fields, more skateboard parks etc.. the voice for more community gardens must be continued and constant; find other groups working on similar issues….the Sacramento Hunger Commission just passed through city council a Food Charter much like Toronto’s Food Charter (ACGA Conference site this Fall) … it included more access to community gardens in the document; and when you get the chance prove that it can work… dig into it 200% and make it a success!   The garden is full and a waiting list of 12 has been started!

 

And along the way.. don’t forget to join ACGA…the backbone of community gardening for 25 years! 

 

Thanks ACGA…the information that I have gathered in the last 5 years from the listserve and from the conferences that I have attended gave me the support, ideas, and encouragement that was needed to make this first garden in the parks and rec dept a reality!

 

More Gardens coming!

 

Bill Maynard

 

ACGA Board Member

Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition

Sacramento Hunger Commission – commission member

City of Sacramento Parks and Rec – Commission member

Sacramento County Master Gardener

 

(ps - I work for a civil engineer as my real full time job)