August 18, 2009

1 Min Read
Bringing community gardening to the backyard

It’s great that people are turning to community gardens as a way to increase the amount of fresh, local produce in their diets. Michelle Obama has even given gardening a bit of celebrity status, focusing media attention on the organic garden at the White House and spreading the word about the necessity of fresh, nutritious food for everyone in the fight against a national obesity epidemic.

The word has certainly caught on. This gardening season, so many people are interested in community gardens that cities and towns across the country are struggling to keep up with the growing demand. From Portland, Ore., to Richmond, Va., waiting lists for garden plots are getting longer and longer.

A new solution has sprung up though, that focuses on backyards instead of public plots. Sharing Backyards is a program that connects those who don’t have their own yard (people who live in condos, apartments etc.) with people who have unused backyard space that they are willing to let someone else make into a garden. With 40 percent of North Americans living somewhere without their own yard space, the program helps share the backyard wealth. Just type in your name and address to share your yard or find a yard near you that is in need of some gardening love.

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