A community garden does much more than just grow local fruits and vegetables. It also activates a public space where members of the community can gather and form meaningful relationships that contribute to a better life. Whether you want to create a community garden or join, here are a few benefits of community gardens that will motivate you to do so.

Improved access to food: In neighborhoods with little access to shops that sell quality vegetables, community gardens can fill the gap and provide families with fresh produce. In some areas, community gardens produce enough food, that there’s enough left over for local food pantries and soup kitchen. 

Cultivating friendships: Meeting new neighbors can be challenging these days. The structure of a community garden is designed to bring neighbors together with shared meals, seasonal plant sales, celebrations, and community workdays, which is perfect for cultivating friendships.

Physical benefits: Adults need 150 minutes of exercise a week – and 80% of us are falling short of that goal. With all the bending, digging, lifting, and pulling, gardening offers a full-body workout. The best part? At the moment, it scarcely feels like work. Working toward a tangible goal, be it pulling weeds or planting veggies, leaves you with a sense of satisfaction. That’s something the elliptical machine at the gym can’t do.

Improved mental health: Science tells us that spending time outdoors has many mental health benefits, beginning with lower stress levels. With a community garden, you can motivate yourself and others to spend more time outdoors, which will benefit everyone’s mood.

If you’ve gotten to the bottom of this story and feel motivated to start a community garden in your neighborhood, follow the link and get some step-by-step instructions to make it happen.