A vegetable garden is great way to engage members of your community or congregation around healthy, local food. The garden will also serve as an educational tool to teach children that healthy eating can be fun and taste good. Below are some tips on how to start a garden. You can also check out this guide.

1. Create a Committee: Begin by establishing a committee – invite community or congregation members and neighbors to join. Get people energized!
2. Divvy up Responsibilities: Before planting the first seeds, there are some important decisions to make. The garden committee will help make ongoing decisions to keep the community project sustainable. Duties may include: locating the site, testing the soil, working with your local agricultural extension office, building relationships with the local health department, or assigning plots.
3. Find the Land: Look for a vacant plot that gets plenty of sun (at least six hours a day), is located near a water source, and has good drainage. Test the soil pH levels; your local university may offer this service at a low cost.
4. Secure the Site: Once you find a potential site, visit your local government office to find out who owns the land. If your organization is a non-profit or faith-based group, consider the land at your place of worship or facility. Also, try looking to government agencies as partners in providing land. The National Park Service for example, allows groups to form community gardens in parks. Learn from other community gardens in the area to find out how they obtained their site and got started.  After choosing a site, contact the landowner to obtain permission for the community garden plot and think about a multi-year lease for future seasons.
5. Design the Garden: Meet with the garden committee to determine how to set up your garden space. A shared garden will encourage gardeners’ to work together throughout the season and share the harvest, while individual plots may help ensure dedicated participation. Consider factors such as irrigation, a shed for tools and supplies, and trash removal. Here are some design ideas to get the committee started:
   • A garden sign that displays partners and participants.
   • A community bulletin board.
   • A picnic table for gardeners to rest or enjoy the bounty of the land.
   • Children’s areas with small plots or sand boxes.
   • Plants on the perimeter that are drought resistant but draw in pollinating friends like bees or butterflies.
6. Start Planting: Start getting shovels in the ground! Clean up and clear the site to establish and assign plots. USDA’s National Agricultural Library offers additional resources on starting your garden. Watch interest in the garden expand as members of your community and congregation begin to see vegetables grow.

Tell us about your community garden or your first harvest on Facebook!