Who says you need to have a house in the country to grow a garden?  Many cities and towns are embracing the concept of a community garden.  A community garden is usually situated on a vacant property or in parkland, and gardeners are able to rent a garden plot to grow anything they desire (within reason).  These garden plots are especially prized in heavily urbanized cities like New York or Detroit, where families may have limited access to green space.

Community gardens (sometimes known as city farms) are about more than just growing your own peas and carrots. In most cases, community garden projects are run by a combination of government staff and volunteers dedicated to teaching others about the environment.  Community garden projects have been shown to have a tremendous effect on environmental consciousness.

As people learn what they can gain from working the soil, they are less likely to litter and vandalize parks and green spaces.  It is also a chance for children who may never have seen a garden to learn about plants and animals.  There are many different city farms and community gardens across the country, so it is difficult to describe what an "average" community garden project will look like.  Some community gardens will have 20 families sharing an acre of land, while others will see hundreds of families planting gardens each year.  Because these gardens mostly produce vegetables, they are also a great source of fresh food for families in need.

Community garden projects have sprung up all over the country.  These innovative city farms provide great gardening opportunities for people who live in the urban core, and "green up" many areas that would otherwise be falling into disrepair.  Anyone who has participated in a community garden will be able to tell you that these projects help to improve quality of life for many families in America and many other countries.