Tips for starting a Community Garden

The methods utilized for Community Gardens In the Parks program have been implemented with great success in other communities.  We encourage you to utilize Community Gardens In The Parks documents to assist you in starting a community garden wherever land is available and people are interested in working together to plan and grow gardens.  

Community Building through Community Gardens

Other useful information can be found on The University of Missouri Extension website. They have developed an online tool kit for starting community gardens. Their literature states "It is essential to understand that community gardening is about more than growing food, flowers and herbs.  Community gardening is also about interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, planning and organizing, group decision-making and the associated rewards and challenges that come with working with people. In short, community gardening is as much about "community" as it is "gardening."

Basic suggested steps for starting a community garden:

Talk with friends, neighbors and local organizations about the idea.
1. Hold a meeting with anyone interested to determine the feasibility of starting a garden.
2. Find and evaluate potential garden sites.
3. Identify local resources.
4. Establish gardener guidelines and draft the gardener application for starting a garden.
5. Hold a second meeting to discuss the notes from the previous meeting and hear reports.
6. Draft a lease agreement.
7. Develop a site plan.
8. Establish gardener guidelines and draft the gardener application.
9. Prepare and develop the site.
10. Celebrate your success!

Planning, Developing and Managing Community Gardens

Everybody has something to offer. Community gardens are built by volunteers - the gardeners are the volunteers. A community garden involves a lot of work and organization to be successful. It is important that everyone participates - remember "many hands make light work." Community gardens are most sustainable and long lasting when everyone involved works

Each garden and its organizers will have specific needs for types of activities and volunteers required to organize these activities.  A complete list of descriptions of volunteer positions for community gardens can be found at The Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin.

The following documents have been prepared to assist community garden volunteer organizers to plan and manage their gardens.  The documents are provided in Adobe (non-editable) format.  Garden organizers are encouraged to utilize these documents as they are, or to make changes to fit their garden's purposes and style.  If you would like a copy of these documents in Word (editable) format, please contact the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Department at 444-3471 ext. 467 to request a copy.

Gardener Guidelines

Gardener Application