Community Gardens
The volunteers who lead Madison's community gardens have been very busy! There are now over 50 community gardens in the Madison area, which has more than doubled the number of area community gardens since 2002, and many gardens have doubled and tripled in size over the past several years. We have 30 acres of garden plots, up from about 17 acres in 2002. This means fresh vegetables for so many people: more than 2000 households now have plots in the community gardens, an increase of 87% over the past 8 years.
In keeping with CAC’s mission, we focus our services on gardens with many low-income families. Community gardens can greatly assist with food costs for families. In 2007, one family was able to grow over 150 pounds of produce equivalent to $389 in savings on one 400 square foot garden plot. The gardens are often a place of expression for the people given the least voice in our society.
In the gardens, gardeners become more self-sufficient and empowered by growing their own food. Diverse people come together to raise food and they find that natural outgrowths of the gardens are personal relationships, cross-cultural exchange, community development, beautification, environmental justice, crime prevention, leadership, and self-reliance for their neighborhood as a whole.
CAC provides these services:
- Leadership development and organizing to help the gardeners grow as community leaders
- Outreach, information clearinghouse, referrals for new gardeners
- Support for eligible new gardens
- Initial tilling, and assistance acquiring garden materials
- Translation for Hmong, Spanish, Khmer and English-speakers
- Liaison to city departments who provide services to gardens including land, wood chips, compost & water
- Conferences & workshops at the gardens
- Annual Grow Together conference & workshops at the gardens
- Support for youth garden projects & gardeners with physical disabilities
- Insurance coverage
- Access to donated seeds and plants
