Greensboro city staff will meet today to explore expanding community gardens for the public. Brooks Mullane, program support supervisor for the Parks and Recreation Department, said members of that department along with planning, the Guilford County Department of Public Health and the Cooperative Extension Service will attend the meeting to begin dialogue.
"We feel there's a lot of interest and a lot of need," Mullane said.
Mullane said the department doesn't know yet where gardens would be placed, but expects they could be placed at local parks or other city-owned land. For example, the Glenwood neighborhood has two gardens, one of them at Steelman Park. Greensboro would likely rely on grants to help pay for the gardens as no designated city funds currently exist, she said.
Community gardens have been popping up throughout the city over the past two years. The Brandywine neighborhood will start its first garden this year; gardens also exist or are planned for Beloved Community Center, the Newcomers School (a public school), Elsewhere artist collective on Elm Street, Peeler Open Elementary School and the Greensboro Children’s Museum. I recently learned that an interfaith community garden is also in the works in Winston-Salem.
Who am I missing?
I expect community and home gardening will increase this year as people seek to save money and have more control over the sources of their food. Intriguing models include the San Diego Sustainable Food Project and Pikes Peak Urban Gardens in Colorado Springs.
The N.C. Center for Environmental Farming Systems is also researching ways to promote and support local food production in the state.
