Some gardeners enjoy the quiet solitude of gardening in nature with their beloved plants—think Thoreau at Walden Pond.
Other gardening enthusiasts prefer to garden with others, to enjoy the company of friends, family, neighbors and other like-minded people. Luckily for these social gardeners, there are hundreds of community garden projects throughout Greater Columbus, offering opportunities to grow vegetables, flowers and community.
Many of these community garden projects are 10% garden and 90% community, and this summer you can visit six of these community gardening projects on our summer tour of Greater Columbus Community Gardens.
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Benefits of Community Gardens
Community gardens are an important part of the Greater Columbus area's local food system, providing large amounts of fresh, nutritious vegetables, fruits, and herbs to thousands of families each year. Not only do gardeners produce food for their own families, but many community gardens also produce food for nearby food pantries, churches, families, and individuals experiencing food insecurity.
Community garden projects also have environmental benefits, from providing a food source for pollinators, birds, and sometimes unwelcome wildlife, to combating climate change by storing carbon in the soil. Community garden green spaces also aid in stormwater management in the built environment and help replenish groundwater sources.
The physical and mental health benefits of community gardens shouldn't be overlooked, as gardening is a great source of exercise, especially for those with limited mobility. Many community gardens also focus on educating young people about gardening, the environment, and nutrition, as well as developing life and job skills for young people.
Visiting a community garden
A summer tour of community gardens throughout Greater Columbus begins this Wednesday, June 26, and will run through September 14. Sponsored by Ohio State University Extension and the Greater Columbus Cultivation Coalition, the tour series is free and open to the public.
Six community gardens, each with a different purpose and target audience, will be open to the public. Tours will be offered as follows:
Wednesday, June 26, 6:30-8 p.m.: Bibleway SKIP Garden, located at 443 Highland Ave. in Hilltop, is a dedicated facility that teaches neighborhood youth how to grow vegetables and start a garden in their own backyard. The garden features 12 raised flower beds and also grows vegetables for food-insecure residents in the neighborhood.
Saturday, July 13, 9-10:30 a.m.: The Friends Garden at 924 E. Main St. on the Near East Side began as a way to support homeless people and has evolved into a safe, healing green space where neighbors can grow food and community. The garden features raised beds with vegetable and fruit trees, herb gardens, pollinator plants and a small rainwater garden. The garden provides a place for neighbors and friends to socialize and become part of the community.
Saturday, July 27, 9-10:30 a.m.: The MASH Honor Garden, located at 5263 Harrisburg Pike in Grove City, provides food to veterans and service heroes throughout central Ohio. MASH stands for Military and Service Heroes. The project includes five food pantries that provide food to veterans, their families and survivors. The Grove City Honor Garden consists of 48 raised flower beds where vegetables and small fruits are grown to supply the pantries.
Saturday, Aug. 10, 9-10:30 a.m.: Four Seasons City Farm, located at 913 E. Mound St. on the Near East Side, is transforming vacant land into gardens and building a sustainable, collaborative food system to thrive in neighborhoods. In addition to growing plants, the garden project fosters human connection, sustainability and a shared love of nature.
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Saturday, Aug. 24, 9-10:30 a.m.: Southside Family Farm, headquartered at 1269 Wilson Ave. in Southside, was founded to address food insecurity in disadvantaged areas. The project grows vegetables and fruits on four plots in the city's land bank and in a high tunnel. The project aims to have a positive impact on the community, offering gardening education programs and cooking demonstrations for both youth and adults.
Saturday, September 14, 9-10:30 AM: Located at 1919 Frank Road in South Columbus, International Harvest Garden is a place where American and refugee gardeners grow food for themselves, their families, their neighbors, and local food pantries. In the garden, gardeners use traditional gardening techniques from their home countries, including rainwater diversion and growing crops such as kerala, roselle, and janeric. The garden includes a large food pantry garden run by volunteer Master Gardeners.
Mike Hogan is an extension educator and associate professor of agriculture and natural resources at Ohio State University Extension.
Email: hogan.1@osu.edu
