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Many of these gardens have been successfully operating for 25 or more
years. Overall, more than 3700 families are growing food and flowers in
pockets of greenery throughout our cities.
 What
is a community garden?
In short, a community garden is a parcel of land, usually in an urban
neighborhood, divided into garden plots that are assigned to individuals,
families or groups wishing to garden. By helping communities transform
vacant (often run-down) lots into open spaces that provide recreation and
fresh produce for residents, we are making our cities healthier, safer,
and happier places to live and work.
Every community garden has its own personality. Some gardens are very
small (eight plots), and some are larger (an acre or more). Some gardens
are slipped into a space once occupied by one or two narrow city homes
with houses right next door. Others are on the edge of a city, giving
them a more hidden-away feeling, and one of our gardens is located in a
corporate office park. Some of the gardens are owned by Capital District
Community Gardens (having been donated by private owners), others are used with permission of the landowners.
More sites are always needed to meet the hopes of future urban gardeners.
All community gardens operated by CDCG are managed organically –
using only organic fertilizing and growing methods. Why? We want to help
people grow the healthiest food possible, and we want to be good
neighbors to everyone in the garden as well as the properties next door.
We have found that virtually anything can be successfully grown without
the use of pesticides.
 Gardening
is relaxing, rejuvenating and offers opportunities for exercise,
self-esteem building, recreation, education, neighborhood unity and urban
beautification. Children learn important lessons in the garden about
their natural environment and how things grow. They also benefit from
important time with parents or grandparents in the garden, and enjoy
healthy produce grown close to home.
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