Community Garden Assessment and Proposal for the Homeless Garden

Project

Carri Katonah March 2006

Peralta Community Garden Berkeley, California

Submitted to the Environmental Studies Department in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Carri Katonah

Carri KatonahComment:

Comment: Questions to ask Steve in the email…do I need to site each picture like the date and everything?

2

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 3 Abstract 4 I. Introduction 5 II. Experiences 7

A. Garden Design 7 B. Garden Management 9 C. Garden Community Building Suggestions 10

III. Conclusion IV. Appendices Peralta Community Garden Appendix A 13 Northside Community Garden Appendix B 25 People’s Park Community Garden Appendix C 27 Angela Grey Interview Appendix D 30

Lighthouse Community Garden Appendix E 32 Trescony Community Garden Appendix F 36 Green Dreams Film Appendix G 38 Sample Rule Book & Contract Appendix H 39

3

Acknowledgments First of all, I would like to thank Vanessa Plummer for mentoring me throughout

my internship with the Homeless Garden Project and supporting my idea for this project.

I would also like to thank Steve Gliessman and Chris Krohn who always gave me good

advice and made me feel much less overwhelmed when I really needed it. Additionally I

would like to thank all of the people who spent time answering my questions and

explaining community gardens to me including Dawn Coppin, Patrick Williams, Angela

Grey, Carol Bennett-Simons, Terry from People’s Park Garden and I can’t forget the

random neighbor who decided to tell me his life story at the Lighthouse Garden. Thanks

are always due to my mom and dad and the rest of my family.

4

Abstract

This report covers my experiences visiting and researching community gardens

and my recommendations to the Homeless Garden Project for their community garden.

The Homeless Garden Project (HGP) is planning on moving to a site on Pogonip and

wants to include a community garden in their plan. Including more programs with the

farm would not only increase the activity, but also bring in a variety of people from the

city and create a stronger sense of community. This report includes my recommendations

for HGP based on what I have learned through my experiences and research of

community gardens. Also included are various case studies of gardens that I visited,

together with descriptions and pictures. The goal is that this will provide HGP with a

valuable resource when the time comes to design their community garden.

5

Introduction

I began my internship with the Homeless Garden Project uncertain about what my

project might evolve to be. I tried my best to have an open mind and listen intently to

everyone around me in the hopes of coming up with a project that was wanted and

needed by the community at the farm. It was nearing the end of the first quarter and I

began to become worried, as I had not yet settled on a project. Finally, at one of the

Tuesday circle meetings, Vanessa asked for ideas from everyone about improving the

farm for the next year. Many great ideas were suggested but the one that stuck out to me

was Carol’s proposition of a community garden being added onto the farm. This would

allow anyone to have a plot and grow his or her own food. When I spoke with Vanessa

about this idea she explained that the community garden prospect was already on the

table at the office, specifically for the hoped-for new site at Pogonip. My project was

finally born as I decided to research community gardens in order to determine the best

way to organize, manage, and design the community garden for the Homeless Garden

Project.

As I began to develop my strategy for how to tackle this project, I decided to talk

to Vanessa, Dawn, and eventually Patrick about their goals and hopes for a community

garden because this report really is to benefit them. Vanessa had a lot of interesting

visions for the new location of the Homeless Garden Project. Her ideas were greatly

benefited by her own personal experience participating in a community garden in Santa

Barbara. She stressed the importance of a volunteer or volunteers running the garden and

for the garden to be open for everyone, in order to better connect people from all over the

community. She also recommended a small greenhouse for all the gardeners so that

many tools could be shared. Another plan would be to include local organizations in the

garden, such as Food not Bombs, who could have their own plots to grow food. Vanessa

also gave me suggestions of important questions to ask the different gardens during my

visits. Some of the questions included the issue of water and whether or not it is

regulated, the methods of organization, meetings, and how responsibilities are assigned.

6

Dawn also had some visionary ideas about the community garden and the whole new

Pogonip site in general. Her goal for the new site of the Homeless Garden Project is to

include many more programs, like a community garden, in order to involve much more of

the community and increase the diversity of people at the farm. She really stressed the

importance of figuring out ways to have the garden appeal to more minorities in the

community. She also suggested having the garden plots interspersed throughout the farm

to lessen the distinction between the gardeners and farmers. Patrick also expressed the

importance of bringing more of the community to the Homeless Garden Project by

providing other activities such as a community garden. His advice was that the main

organizer(s) of the garden should also be part of the farm because they should have a

strong knowledge-base in organic gardening.

After getting these guidelines, I conducted my research in various avenues. I did

academic research online and in the library studying various case studies of community

gardens as well as the Community Garden Survey posted by the American Community

Gardening Association. After doing that preliminary research I began to visit community

gardens in Santa Cruz as well as Berkeley. I visited various types of gardens,

interviewed garden workers and organizers, and learned more about the city of Santa

Cruz gardens and how they are managed. I also took a few trips up to the Pogonip site to

get a better idea of the layout up there. It was very important to me to also talk with

some of the people who work at the Natural Bridges Farm to understand how a garden

could be designed so that they would benefit from it as well and so that it would be

accessible. I took a lot of pictures of all different aspects of gardens so that my examples

have visuals and can therefore be better understood.

My hope for this report is that, when the time comes, the Homeless Garden

Project can look at my work and see some incredible examples of community gardens,

see what works and what causes problems, and examine my suggestions based on my

experiences. Through this I hope that they will be able to create a beautiful, dynamic,

and personal growth garden to be included at the farm. I have learned a lot about the

immeasurable benefits of community gardens, and not only about just providing the

opportunity to garden, but also the infinite ways that gardening can be used to create

community and social change.

7

My Experience and Suggestions

A community garden as part of the Homeless Garden Project requires the same

concentration as the organization has demanded on building community and providing a

safe space for all members of the community. Therefore, it seems vital to learn from all

different community gardens and take examples of how each has included various parts

of their community, used the garden as an educational and life-skills tool, and created a

beautiful space for people to connect to nature, each other, and themselves.

Garden Design

The first organizational issue to tackle would be that of physical layout. Although

it may be too confusing to have the garden plots interspersed throughout the farm, there

could also be a way to make them inseparable and cohesive. The goal and purpose of this

would be to avoid separating those working (and therefore homeless) on the farm and

those who have a garden plot and hence create a more inclusive atmosphere. While the

garden could be right next to the farm, all other facilities would be shared, such as the

tool shed, kitchen and meal times, and meeting area.

The garden plots should be standard in size so as not to create any unfairness in

terms of annual fees, etc. Besides the uniform size, there should be a variety of plot

types. For example, a few plots could be set aside to be handicap accessible. Plot beds

can be built up to a certain height in order to facilitate a person in a wheelchair being able

to garden (Peralta Garden Appendix A). Another way to accommodate gardeners with

disabilities is to roll decomposed granite over gravel paths (Peralta Garden Appendix A).

This path absorbs water therefore making it smooth and dry for wheelchairs, walkers, etc.

and also reduces weeds and lessens the need for maintenance. Besides these specialty

modifications, gardeners should be encouraged to create their own unique beds on their

plots. It could be a suggestion or a requirement that only recycled products are used to

build the garden beds, such as old drawers, cinder blocks, or anything else they could

think of (Northside Garden Appendix B). If gardeners create their own beds then they

8

will feel proud of their plot and feel much more ownership and responsibility in keeping

it up.

I also suggest leaving the garden open without a fence surrounding it. This would

make it much more welcoming to anyone in the community and also leaves it more

connected to the rest of the environment around Pogonip (People’s Park Garden

Appendix C). Unfortunately this may not be possible due to the damage done by wild

animals. This effect could also be accomplished by using natural materials to build a

fence that does not completely obstruct the view and blends into the environment.

Depending on security issues, it may be necessary to have a fence and particular hours

when the garden is open to the public. In this case there should be signs posted up in a

visible area stating the hours when it is open and the various activities offered, as well as

a contact for information on becoming a member of the garden (Peralta Garden,

Northside Garden, Lighthouse Garden, and Trescony Garden Appendices A,B,E,F).

Another way to make the community garden and farm more noticeable to residents is to

have a similar kind of sign set up at the corner of River and Golf Rd. so that as people are

walking or driving by they could be made aware of the opportunities just up the road.

One method that would both bring all the gardeners together to work on a specific

project and also add a unique aspect to the garden would be to have a common area.

Depending on how the plots are arranged, the common area could be in the middle or on

one side of the garden. The Peralta Community Garden had the best example of a

common area in the middle of the garden that surrounded a central sitting area (Peralta

Garden Appendix A). Deciding what would be grown in the common area is a decision

all of the gardeners would have to make collectively, but a couple ideas would be to have

all native plants, herbs, or other edible plants. This common area would be part of garden

workdays and could be tended to by anyone with a little extra time.

It seems crucial, especially to continue the purpose of the Homeless Garden

Project, to reserve a good amount of plots for people in low-income housing or homeless

people (Peralta Garden Appendix A). These plots would be made available with either a

scholarship opportunity for those that couldn’t afford the annual fee, or an exchange of

services for the fee. For all other plots it seems necessary to have an annual fee in order

to cover maintenance, supplies, and possibly some activities. The fee at the Peralta

9

Garden is $30 a year, while the Lighthouse and Trescony gardens are $50 annually, and

People’s Park plots are free. Therefore, it really depends on what is to be covered by the

fee and what is needed at the garden that determines the annual rate, which can fluctuate

based on these variables. I think the fee should be made as low as possible and the uses

of the money should be clear and obvious to the gardeners and in some cases, the

gardeners could be part of the process to decide what the money is used for.

A community garden does not only have to be strictly a place to cultivate plants,

but it can also provide a sanctuary for people to go to relax and be in nature. One key

way to accomplish this is to provide various places to sit around the garden (Peralta

Garden and People’s Park Garden Appendices A,C). These places can take many forms,

including benches, table with chairs, or a swing.

Although it may be assumed, I would suggest continuing with the trend of the

farm and having the garden be completely organic. This would also include having a

compost pile that could either be shared with the farm or separate for just the garden.

Going along with this theme it would make sense to have as much of the garden as

possible be ecologically sustainable. Using green building for any structures that may

need to be built would be a major way to accomplish this. For example, the tool shed in

the Peralta Garden was made from recycled materials and the garden also provides a

green building example of a bamboo structure (Peralta Garden Appendix A). Another

great example that includes not only natural materials but provides a project for the

community to be involved in is to build a cob tool shed (Northside Garden Appendix B).

This kind of project is a great opportunity for the gardeners to work together, create real

pride in the garden, and learn about green building and its value.

Garden Management

The importance of good organization and motivated leaders is essential to have a

happy and functional community garden. Vanessa suggested having volunteer organizers

for the garden and this method was exemplified in Peralta Garden (Appendix A) where

all of the coordinators and committees are made of up community volunteers. These

leadership positions also give a larger group of gardeners leadership opportunities. A key

aspect to this is still allowing the general group to be included in decision-making and

10

other vital aspects of the garden (Peralta Garden Appendix A). It would be greatly

beneficial and reduce a lot of conflict if every gardener that wanted it could be given a

leadership role, whether it be treasurer, secretary or member of a committee such as

social and compost (Peralta Garden Appendix A).

Rules are present in almost all of the gardens I researched and are seen as

necessary to keep the garden functional for as many people as possible. There are many

possible rules such as requiring organic gardening and guidelines for that, timeline for the

maintenance of the garden plot, providing own tools including hoses, etc. (Appendix H).

In order to ensure that all the gardeners are aware of the rules they could be required to

sign a contract when they first join the garden, and the rules could be posted along with

the sign at the entrance with garden hours and activities. It is also important that the rules

be open for debate so that gardeners who feel that a rule may be unfair, or if they just

have suggestions have the opportunity to voice those opinions. Although this may not

necessarily mean that the rule will be changed, at least they have the opportunity to be

heard and so the rules are not just being forced upon the gardeners, but they have a part in

creating their own rules.

One aspect of leadership that can be controversial is the person or people that

decide whether or not someone is managing their plot according to the garden rules. This

mainly includes letting it become overgrown with weeds and/or not using the plot at all.

When becoming a member of the garden each gardener will have to sign a contract

stating this rule so it will not be a surprise, but it is sometimes hard for people to give up

their land, even if they haven’t been using it (Lighthouse and Trescony Gardens

Appendices E,F). If there were no waiting list, like at the People’s Park Garden, then

requiring people to leave would not be necessary, but if there is a waiting list then the

plot should be turned over to someone who will spend the time tending to it.

Garden Community Building Suggestions

Visiting community gardens reaffirmed some of my ideas, dismantled others, and

gave me new ideas like involving artwork in the garden. The Peralta Community Garden

had the most extensive and impressive example of this. There were various types of art,

including children’s art, professional artwork that artists either donated or lent to the

11

garden, and community artwork. There was a huge community mural displayed in the

garden that had been painted not only by people in the garden, but other community

members as well. This not only gives the gardeners a sense of ownership, but reaffirms

the fact that the garden is there for everyone in the community to enjoy, even if they

don’t choose to garden in it (Peralta Garden Appendix A).

I would also suggest developing a program for children and teens in the garden.

There are many examples of these programs, but one that seems especially successful and

beneficial is the at-risk teen program run by SLUG (San Francisco League of Urban

Gardeners) that I learned about in the film Green Dreams (Appendix G) at the Adam

Rogers Garden. This program provides at-risk teens with paid internships in the garden

where they are taught job skills, daily tasks, and have their own plots to cultivate. The

Homeless Garden Project Community Garden does not have to provide paid internships,

only the opportunity and guidance for teens to have their own plot and learn from more

experienced gardeners. This is one way to possibly prevent homelessness for the next

generation by teaching job skills and confidence to younger people in the community.

One way to combine the farm and garden participants is to include both in the

usual farm classes once a week. The class can be open to any gardener that is able to or

would like to attend. These classes could also be made available to the teen gardeners

mentioned above. Besides the already established HGP classes the garden could have its

own activities and classes that would also be open to HGP workers as well. Besides

classes and activities planned by the garden, other community groups could be welcome

to have events in the garden (these of course would be open to gardeners as well) (Peralta

Garden Appendix A).

Conclusion

There are some key components to a successful community garden that I

compiled after researching such a variety of gardens. Community gardens are seen as a

place to build community and hence there are some common ways this is attempted. One

very important aspect is for people to feel ownership and pride over their garden

therefore providing more motivation to do work there and a stronger sense of belonging.

Another way to build community is to provide a safe space for all different people that

12

may otherwise not be involved in such community activities. A community garden is

also an incredible opportunity for education and increased life skills, not just for children

but teens and adults as well. The Homeless Garden Project is a great catalyst to provide

this dynamic opportunity for the community of Santa Cruz.

13

Conclusion Throughout my experience creating this report I have discovered the importance

of the word “community” in community gardens. Community gardens are not just places

for people to grow their own food, although that is a very important part of it, but it is a

way to bring people together in a natural environment. A lot of thought and experience

goes into creating a safe space for people to learn and grow. Through this project I have

learned the importance of community and the positive impact it can have on everybody

involved. This will encourage me especially as I am faced with the many injustices in the

world, that there really is a way to bring people together under any circumstances that not

only provides support, but also provides necessities such as food and water. It is essential

for everyone to have access to open space and land because we all are connected to the

earth and have the right to experience it, especially when it is for something essential like

food.

14

Peralta Community Garden Located on the corner of Hopkins and Peralta in Berkeley, California

Contact: Carol Bennett-Simons 510-527-6708

Sign and garden notices located on the front gate of the garden. Peralta Community Garden

The Peralta Community Garden is located in northern Berkeley in a residential

neighborhood. Carol Bennet-Simons met with me Sunday morning and was very open to

giving me a tour and answering all of my questions. This garden is occupying city and

Bart property. It was started by Karl Linn who had a vision for an empty lot in the

neighborhood. In 1994 he rallied neighbors together to request the land from the city and

the garden was opened in 1996. The Bart land is leased by the city for $1 a year and the

water is paid for by the city without regulation. Included in this lease agreement is the

commitment of the garden to be open for at least 6 hours a week.

Carol began her explanation of the garden by illuminating the various ways they

have made the garden handicap accessible. For example, the pathways between plots and

beds are made with decomposed granite that has been rolled over gravel. These are

helpful because water soaks through them and therefore does not produce a muddy mess

15

that is difficult to maneuver in with a wheelchair, but also because it does a decent job at

keeping weeds out of the pathways as well. There are also high beds for wheelchair

access.

Example of a raised bed for wheelchair accessibility. Peralta Community Garden

Right now at the Peralta Garden all the plots are filled, which means there are 30

gardeners with plots. There is also a large common area where everyone shares in the

care and maintenance. Carol explained that there was a debate over what plants to put in

the common area but eventually her idea of native plants was the final decision. There is

also an herb bed as part of the common area. In the middle of the common area is a

beautiful mosaic table and benches.

16

Common Area of Native Plants and Herbs. Peralta Community Garden

Mosaic table and benches of the communal sitting area. Peralta Community Garden

17

Closer view of mosaic table and benches. Peralta Community Garden

Not only is it beautiful to look at and a nice place to sit and relax, but also the area is used

for many different community activities. Meetings are held there for the gardeners, and

also other groups in the community. For example, a pagan group uses the space to hold

meetings and open get-togethers for the community on the solstice. Carol emphasized the

importance of having areas for people to just sit, relax, and take in everything around

them. The garden had various places to sit besides this bigger, common area.

18

Behind the common area is a bamboo structure that represents green building.

During the summer the structure is covered with various vines and flowers so it provides

shade and aesthetics, but also it is an example of green building that people can learn

from.

Example of green building with bamboo. Peralta Community Garden

19

At the front of the garden is a pond with various plants and mosquito fish. The

pump in the pond is powered by solar panels.

Solar powered pond. Peralta Community Garden

The pond area is very well kept but it does require a lot of maintenance and extra time

from the gardeners. This has been a topic of contention as some gardeners feel that they

put more work and time into it than others.

The Peralta Garden is completely organic and uses composting bins while some

of the green waste is recycled to the city. There is also a propagating area for new plants

to begin their growth.

20

Composing bins. Peralta Community Garden.

Plant propagating area. Peralta Community Garden

21

There is also a section specifically for fruit trees that the gardeners have just recently

begun.

There were unique pieces of art throughout the garden. Carol spent some time

explaining each piece and it’s significance for the gardeners and the history of the garden.

There is a huge mural in the Peralta Garden that was painted by many of the gardeners

and other community members. Therefore the gardeners have their own artwork in the

garden and feel much more a part of and connected to it.

Community mural. Peralta Community Garden

There is also artwork by local artists who either donate their paintings or lend them to the

garden for a particular amount of time. Carol explained to me that they have a system for

the donated pieces to determine if the gardeners like and want the piece in their garden.

The artwork is displayed for a couple weeks so that the gardeners as a group can decide if

they want the artwork to stay or not.

22

Artwork displayed on the tool shed. Peralta Community Garden

Note: Tool shed is made from recycled materials.

Example of more artwork. Peralta community Garden

23

Peralta Community Garden has an effective structural base that keeps it a strong

presence in the community. Carol is part of the steering committee that consists of all

volunteers. Within this committee there are four officers; the external coordinator,

internal coordinator, the secretary, and the treasurer. There are also three committees

with two people on each committee. There is the compost, social, and art committee.

The steering committee meets quarterly and once a year inspects the garden plots to make

sure the gardeners are managing them properly. If someone is not, for example if it has

obviously not been tended for a long time and is over grown with weeds, then the

gardener is given a 30-day notice. If their plot is not tended to within that notice then

they are told to leave so that the next person on the waiting list can begin gardening.

There are work parties once a month and each gardener is expected to contribute 8

hours to work parties a year. Also, people who are on the waiting list can attend the work

parties and therefore be moved up on the list because of the interest and time they

provided. According to Carol most of the gardeners spend a lot more than 8 hours

working on communal maintenance, etc.

The organizers of Peralta Garden make a concerted effort to make the garden

more available for people who do not have yards or land of their own to garden. Half of

the gardeners are from low income housing with no yards. Although there is a $30

annual fee, this fee can be waived in exchange for additional service in the garden. I

asked how they reach various people and Carol explained that they not only have various

community events, but spend time flyering all around the community, they have signs up

all around the garden welcoming the public in, and the most important thing, she

continued, is to be nice and friendly to everyone.

When asked how Peralta Garden feels secure on the city land with no risk of

being removed, Carol had a very impressive answer. She explained that all of the

community gardens in Berkeley are involved in the Berkeley Community Garden

Collaborative that includes 11 gardens and 15 school gardens. This group, along with

Berkeley Partners for Parks, are very involved with the city counsel and remain a strong

presence in decision making processes. Carol also mentioned that Peralta Garden invites

24

the mayor to various events so that he is consistently confronted by how important and

beneficial these gardens are for the community.

The biggest problem, according the Carol, is the conflict over the unequal time

spent by each gardener on general maintenance and other communal responsibilities in

the garden. Of course everyone has different amounts of time they feel they can donate

to the garden and some people are just able to spend more time than others. Things that

she has learned during her many years in the community garden are to make sure

everyone feels like an equal in the group and to try as best as possible to come up with a

consensus on issues. It is also important to give everyone a voice in the planning so that

they feel a sense of ownership. And most importantly, never give up!!

View of the front of the garden. Peralta Community Garden

25

One of the many sitting areas and the Peace Pole. Peralta Community Garden

Common area with tool shed in the background. Peralta Community Garden

26

Northside Community Garden Located on the corner of Hopkins and Peralta, behind Peralta Garden

Sign. Northside Community Garden

Carol also took me to see another garden right next door called the Northside

Garden. This garden is focused primarily on using recycled materials. There were some

beds made out of dresser drawers, or other old materials.

Bed made from recycled materials. Northside Community Garden

27

Northside Garden also had one of the most impressive aspects in it; a cob tool

shed with a sod roof. The members of the garden spent three years building the tool shed

together and finished it off with a sod roof where they plant wild flowers.

Cob tool shed. Northside Community Garden

This is a great example of green building and bringing the community together through a

project that will make them feel more responsible for the garden. Both the Northside

Garden and Peralta Community Garden had one important aspect in common which was

community artwork.

28

People ’s Park Community Garden Located on Haste Street between Telegraph Ave. and Bowditch in Berkeley, California

Contact: Terry 510-658-9178

View of the pathway through the garden. People’s Park Community Garden

People’s Park is a large park located about a block from Telegraph Avenue. I met

with Terry who is one of the many volunteer gardeners who has been working in the

People’s Park Community Garden for many years. She began by explaining to me the

very interesting history of the park, which leads into the vision of the garden today. The

land is owned by the University of California Berkeley and in the 60s the land was

developed and housed a lot of radical activists. Because of this the University decided to

tear down all of the buildings to displace this movement. For a long time after it was just

an empty lot but in the late 60s the people decided to reclaim the land, hence the name

People’s Park. A park was created and on one end a community garden was included.

There are still disputes as the University believes it owns the park, while the people

believe they do.

29

People’s Park was distinctly different from Peralta and Northside from the

moment I arrived. The garden has no fence or any attempt to keep people out of the area.

After speaking with Terry I learned that there is no fee to garden there and anyone who is

interested can inquire about it and then take control of a plot. There are no people in

charge, and its organization emulates an anarchistic system. Granted, there is no waiting

list and the plots are far from filled. While many are well tended, there are some that are

covered in weeds and obviously have not been touched in awhile.

One man’s well designed plot. People’s Park Community Garden

Because of this set up, there are homeless people who have plots to grow their

own food. There is a shared tool box and a seed library that is provided by various

donating stores. The park in general provides other services for the homeless such as a

clothing drop off and free meals usually provided by Food Not Bombs. There are some

community outreach activities like an annual kick-off day when anyone in the community

can come out and participate in gardening and maintenance.

Terry’s main advice is to be patient and when creating a new garden it is crucial

to start from the bottom with the soil by bringing in lots of organic matter. Another

30

important point is to work from the ground up. Kick-off days seem to encourage

participation and excitement about the garden and classes are beneficial as well.

Another view of the garden and pathway. People’s Park Community Garden

31

Interview with Angela Grey 2-8-06

Angela Grey is the Recreation Supervisor at the city of Santa Cruz Parks and

Recreation office. One of Angela’s many jobs is to facilitate getting people in and out of

the community gardens run by the city of Santa Cruz. There are two gardens run by the

city; Lighthouse Garden and Trescony Garden. I met with Angela to ask her some

questions about the design and management of these two gardens. Angela manages the

contact list, makes sure that gardeners are using their plots properly, and works with

maintenance if there are any problems.

The Lighthouse garden has been around for about 7 years and the Trescony

garden for at least 25 years. Both gardens were started by a city initiative. The land is

owned by the city and therefore the city pays for the water, garbage pickup, and green

waste pick up. The water is not regulated. There is an annual fee to have a plot at either

garden that changes depending on needs in the garden, but is $50 presently. The money

collected for the plot rentals is deposited into a general fund for the Parks and Rec.

Department. This fund pays for the water used at the gardens, maintenance work, and

replacement of equipment. Anyone is welcome to have a plot but there is a long waiting

list and most gardeners leave nearby where the garden is located.

The gardens are open every day from sunrise to sunset and both are organic. The

Recreation Supervisor is Angela Grey and the Superintendent is her boss. Every month

they visit the gardens and look at each plot to make sure it is generally weed free and is

being used. There is different criteria depending on the time of year. For example, if the

gardener decides to take the winter off and not plant during that season, they must cover

their plot so that it does not become over grown with weeds.

All the gardeners are expected to bring their own tools and hoses but many of

them share the larger equipment that not everyone may have access to. Sharing a plot is

not allowed, and neither is passing a plot on. The plot must be turned back to the city for

the next person on the waiting list. There are a couple of plots at Trescony that are half

32

plots and therefore the charge is lower. Otherwise, the size differences are just based on

the evolution of the gardens and there is no price difference.

The only event that the city organizes is an annual potluck that Angela

participates in to talk with all the gardeners, hear their concerns, and make sure

everything is working smoothly. That is all the city does but the gardeners have been

known to organize their own events. The gardeners are technically only responsible for

their plot and the boundary around their plot. Some gardeners do take the initiative for

certain projects they want to see and many have organized boundary work days for all to

maintain their boundaries.

She believes that the benefit of a community garden is the open space, especially

for those that don’t have yards or gardens in their homes. One main obstacle is that

people have different styles so being flexible and open is important. Sometimes, Angela

explained, she has to have a gardener explain to her what he/she is doing because to

Angela it looks like just a lot of weeds. It is also important to have a clear criteria of

rules. Another obstacle is that people who aren’t utilizing their plot many times still

don’t want to give it up, but there is a long waiting list of people who will use it.

33

Lighthouse Park and Garden Located on Lighthouse Avenue in Santa Cruz, California

Contact: Angela Grey 831-420-5270

Entrance to the park and garden. Lighthouse Community Garden

The Lighthouse Park and Garden is located where the Homeless Garden Project

used to be, although most of the land was developed for housing. The garden area is

small but well used.

34

Entrance into the garden. Lighthouse Community Garden

Side view of the garden. Lighthouse Community Garden

35

There are some beds that are raised up off of the ground while other plots are on the ground.

Example of raised beds. Lighthouse Community Garden

Example of beds on the ground. Lighthouse Community Garden

36

There also seem to be various projects being done by individual gardeners. Gardeners seem to be very creative when it comes to managing their own plots.

Gardeners doing different projects. Lighthouse Community Garden

37

Trescony Park and Garden

Located on Trescony Avenue in Santa Cruz, California Contact: Angela Grey 831-420-5270

Sign at entrance to the garden. Trescony Community Garden

Trescony Community Garden is located in the west side of Santa Cruz, right off

of Bay Avenue. It is a park and a garden, but the garden area is significantly larger than

the one at Lighthouse Garden. The plots are also much larger and give the gardeners

more space to be creative. Most of the plots are on the ground but a few are raised up in

boxes.

38

Ground plots. Trescony Community Garden

Plots raised up in boxes. Trescony Community Garden

39

Film: Green Dreams Produced by Alison Bowman and Nancy Kutcher 1995

Distributed by the Video Project, Ben Lomond, California

This film was a documentation of an organization called the San Francisco

League of Urban Gardeners (SLUG) that employs and creates projects for at risk teens

and low income and unemployed adults. The film examined three of the many projects

that SLUG is involved with. First was one run by Leroy Musgraves who has an organic

farm and provides organic educational gardening for school-aged kids. Classes take field

trips to the garden, learn about composting, and spend time in the garden. Leroy’s main

message and goal is for the kids to have a positive experience in the garden.

Another project located is in Hunter’s Point and is called Adam Roger’s Garden.

This garden hires at risk teens as part time interns where they learn organic gardening

skills. Teens come there and find paid work, job skills, and a positive experience. One

of the directors of the garden, Becca Prager, made an important comment that

socioeconomic, environmental, and health problems are all interlinked and one cannot be

addressed without the other. Every day the intern has assignments for the garden such as

weeding, watering, planting, etc. Each teen also has their own bed where they can plant

whatever it is they want and they are totally in charge of it. The other director stated that

one of the main things lacking from these kids lives is a sense of ownership. One intern,

Satti Odeye, said that this garden was the first real comfort he had ever had.

SLUG also has projects to teach people living at low-income housing projects

about growing food, landscaping, and construction by starting garden projects in their

neighborhoods. Not only do these projects create jobs where people are paid more than

minimum wage, but they also teach job skills that can be used for future jobs and

improves basic skills such as reading and writing. SLUG also hires its crew from

disadvantaged areas to maintain the city parks and gardens. They also provided

opportunities and funding for further schooling.