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How To Start a Community Garden in the Lehigh Valley

Organizations as diverse as churches, townships, human services agencies, social and political groups, garden clubs and farms have started community gardens in the Lehigh Valley. Each has its own history and reason for being. Check out the Lehigh Valley Gardens section of the sunlv.org website for details on the wide assortment of examples and the stories behind their success. Most, if not all, share one thing in common: the passion of a small group of volunteers to get the garden started and organized. If you have the interest in leading the efforts to start a garden in your neighborhood, SUN*LV can help.

Here are some good first steps:

1. Read On

Spend some time on our SUNLV.ORG website to discover resources and ideas for getting started. One fantastic resource is the American Community Gardening Association http://www.communitygarden.org//

See more links below to go directly to the best pages on their site.

2. What The Experts Say

Before you go further on our list, you may want to check out the ACGA's list of how to start a community garden, which can be found here. This is a good list to distribute at a meeting of early supporters to build interest and a game plan.

Download the ACGA's First Steps Flyer

3. Get in the Loop

Join our SUN*LV network to share your questions and learn from others who are already doing community gardening or are interested in helping others get started. Click here and you can register. http://sunlvgardens.ning.com We can be reached at info@sunlv.org

4. See What Works

YouTube has an assortment of videos of proud community leaders explaining how their community gardens work and offering advice on getting one started and organized. Go to www.youtube.com and search for "community gardening". You can also go to our Gardening Links pages for some videos that members of our network have recommended.

5. Get Out and See What's Growing

Contact gardens already operating in the Lehigh Valley to get their advice and help identify resources that may help you. Check out the Lehigh Valley Gardens section of the sunlv.org website for details.

6. Find Your Spot

Find a good location and find out what you can about who owns it and what kind of garden might be suitable for that location. Check out the Where/Prime Locations page of our Start A Garden section.

You may find a location that others have already identified, or you can add your idea for a location.

7. Team Up

Walk around your neighborhood or discuss the project with an organization you belong to. That may be the best first step you can take to organize other local residents to participate.

8. Who to Contact

Take a look at the tips and contacts we've put together for getting started in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Other LV Neighborhoods through the Start A Garden section

9. Get Trained

Participate in or host the Growing Communities Workshop from the American Community Gardening Association. This in-depth training program provides you with proven strategies that community organizers use to develop dynamic leaders and create strong gardening programs. Click here for more details as well as ideas on how to bring this workshop to your neighborhood Growing Communities Workshop. We are currently trying to build support for bring this workshop to the Lehigh Valley. If you would like to participate or would like more details, email us directly at info@sunlv.org

10. Make Your Proposal

One common obstacle that new gardens face is winning support from various local governmental bodies or community organizations. Often this is just a case of answering questions and clearing up misconceptions of what a community garden can do for a neighborhood. A good proposal is critical for this process, as it will force you to confront some issues that will arise in your discussions. The very fact that you thought through these issues and come up with a solution (even if it a preliminary, partial solution) will reflect well on your efforts. The proposal also serves as the best way to reach different groups of people with your message most efficiently.

There is no single-best format for your proposal. But one recommended approach would be to search the internet for garden proposals that other community groups have used, which you can adapt. You may even end up with a slightly different proposals that you might bring to different groups, such as to your municipality or to help raise money or seek in-kind gifts locally.

Some aspects to consider addressing in your proposal would include: reasons why the garden will help your neighborhood, proposed location and what kind of arrangement you are proposing to use it, how it will be started and organized and by whom, a drawing of the garden layout, who will participate, who is responsible for maintenance, and a budget for launching and maintaining, particularly if utilities are required.

There are also a few videos on YouTube speaking about community gardens in their cities. These can help you get a better idea of what goes into starting a garden and what kind of impact it can have.

More Resources

For a great collection of local, regional and national groups that can provide supplies, expertise and funding for your garden, go to the Resources section of the sunlv.org website.

General Information on Starting a Community Garden

The American Community Garden Association is the single best source of information about how to get started with a community garden. Below are links to our favorite parts of their website that will guide you through the process of starting, organizing and managing a community garden for greatest success. The ACGA's Rebel Tomato site provides a wide assortment of articles that give you a 360 degree look at community gardening.

Good Rules Make Good Gardens

It's best for gardeners to agree to some common rules upfront to keep harmony and protect the safety of the members. Here are some examples of rules and gardeners agreements that other gardens have used. You can find more examples and ideas through the American Community Gardening Association.

Here is a simple set of rules that have been successful for a local Lehigh Valley garden: Download ideas for rules

Sample Gardeners Agreement 1

Sample Gardeners Agreement 2 (Organic)

Sample Land Use Agreement (Philadelphia Land Trust)

Been There, Done That

The Archives of the American Community Garden Association has many articles that can provide practical advice. The articles are questions and answers from gardeners that the ACGA has answered over the years. The database is searchable and open to all. Try using search terms related to your situation, such as “starting garden,”school garden,” or “starting urban garden”.