24 Reasons You Should Be Involved In Community Gardening

With a promise of affordable, fresh produce, a more beautiful community, and new friendships, community gardens are sweeping the nation in popularity. The question is, why would you not want to become involved?

1. To avoid grocery store check out lines.

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There is no greater torture in the world of retail, than standing in a check out line, listening to a baby cry, reading the same magazine headliners over and over. Skip the line, get to the garden.

2. To get in touch with nature.

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3. To get more bang for your buck.

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Organic produce can be expensive for those of us on a tight budget. Harvesting seeds planted in a community garden makes healthy eating affordable and desirable.

4. To help clear the air.

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Community gardens improve air quality as they restore oxygen to the air and help to reduce pollution.

5. To reduce stress.

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Exposure to green space reduces stress and increases a sense of wellness and belonging.

6. Because knowledge is power.

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Feel satisfaction in knowing the exact growing practices and origin of the foods you consume.

7. To make fresh salsa!

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Not only can you grown fresh veggies like tomatoes and peppers, but fresh herbs like cilantro and oregano. Perfect for home made salsa and chips!

8. To make new friends.

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Community gardens provide a place to share experiences and build relationships with those neighbors you've yet to speak to. Who knows, you might just make a new friend.

9. To get in shape.

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Why run the risk of injury on a treadmill when you can get your daily dose of physical activity in the garden?

10. To increase your property value.

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Community gardens have been shown to actually increase property values in the immediate vicinity where they are located.

11. Because it's recycling made easy.

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Gardens provide a venue to compost items like paper cups, napkins, branches, leaves and food scraps that would normally end up in a landfill. Putting organic waste back into the soil makes the use of fertilizer unnecessary.

12. Because Oprah does it.

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13. And so does the First Lady.

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14. To prevent crime in your neighborhood.

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Community gardens increase eyes on the streets and have been recognized by many police departments as an effective community crime prevention strategy.

15. Because you can wear your favorite old t-shirt judgement free.

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16. To lower asthma rates.

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Eating locally produced food reduces asthma rates because people are able to consume manageable amounts of local pollen and develop immunities. Breathe on.

17. To find an escape.

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Gardens in urban areas are a place to retreat from the noise and commotion of a city environment.

18. For more efficient community decision making.

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Overcoming challenges and issues within the garden builds a more tight knit community that can better communicate and make decisions about issues outside of the garden.

19. To build a deeper relationship with your food.

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Yes, it is possible for you to love food even more.

20. Because you'll actually enjoy eating healthier.

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Meal preparation is more fun and meaningful when it is with food that you have put your efforts into producing. Take pride in showing off your fresh fruits and veggies!

21. To beautify your city.

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Put the "jungle" back in to "concrete jungle."

22. To Be More Productive

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Not only does gardening increase individual productivity, reports show that urban agriculture is up to 5 times more productive per square acre than large scale farms where GMO products are produced.

23. Because you choose what to grow!

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Whether is be a tomato or a cucamelon, the choice in what to grow is all YOURS (and your fellow garden members, of course).

24. Because EVERYONE can do it!

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Young or old, new gardener or seasoned harvester, urban or rural, or from any cultural background, you can become a community garden member and deep the benefits. So what are you waiting for? Get to gardening!