Collard Greens and Common Ground: A North Carolina Community Food Gardening Handbook COLLARD GREENS AND COMMON GROUND: A North Carolina Community Food Gardening Handbook AG-806 | Published December 2015, revised July 2017 Prepared by Don Boekelheide, North Carolina Community Garden Partners Dr. Lucy K. Bradley, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Urban Horticulture, NC State University Published by NC State Extension College of Agriculture and Life Sciences NC State University Available online at content.ces.ncsu.edu/collard-greens-and-common-ground-a-north-carolina-community- food-gardening-handbook Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. © 2017 NC State University For information, contact the NC State Copyright & Digital Scholarship Center Contents Preface ..................................................................................................................................................................... ix 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 What is a Community Garden? ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Benefits of Community Food Gardening .................................................................................................................................... 1 Community Food Gardens: Plots and Co-Ops .................................................................................................... 2 Plot Gardens ............................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Cooperative Gardens .................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Mixing Plots and Co-Ops ............................................................................................................................................................ 2 Organizing a Garden: A Quick Overview ............................................................................................................. 3 Starting the Garden .................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Managing the Garden ................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Is a Food Garden the Right Project? .................................................................................................................... 3 2. Getting Started .................................................................................................................................................... 5 Form a Garden Team .................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Research Community Gardening................................................................................................................................................ 5 Choices and Decisions ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 Write a Summary Description .................................................................................................................................................... 5 Organize and Assign Tasks ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Small is Beautiful ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Spread the Word ......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Finding a Sponsor ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Community Garden Support Programs ...................................................................................................................................... 7 School Gardens and Community Gardening ....................................................................................................... 7 3. Site Selection ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Locating Potential Sites ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Site Evaluation ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 Gardener Needs.......................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Food Garden Needs .................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Other Considerations .................................................................................................................................................................11 Arranging to Use a Site ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Private Leases ...........................................................................................................................................................................12 Insurance ...................................................................................................................................................................................12 4. Food Garden Design ......................................................................................................................................... 13 A Step-by-Step Method ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 What Goes in the Garden? ................................................................................................................................ 13 Hold a Design Charrette ........................................................................................................................................................... 13 Draw the Garden Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Sketching ...................................................................................................................................................................................14 A Working Garden Plan..............................................................................................................................................................15 Garden Design Elements ................................................................................................................................... 15 Overall Design ...........................................................................................................................................................................15 Garden Plots ..............................................................................................................................................................................15 Raised-Bed Planters ..................................................................................................................................................................15 Accessible Planters....................................................................................................................................................................15 Shared Growing Spaces ............................................................................................................................................................15 Water Source .............................................................................................................................................................................15 Paths ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Emergency Vehicle Access .......................................................................................................................................................17