Hi Mountainsong,

This forum tends to stay pretty dead...

For some pretty good links, go to the thread linked below and scroll down to my response.

Good luck!

CarrieB

Here is a link that might be useful: Some community garden links

There are plenty of nice community gardens in the South. Check out the link below and also the American Community Gardening Association www.communitygarden.org
Community gardens can be on private space--someone's unused yard, city-owned property, school & church grounds, donated by a business....many options. Keep us updated on your project!
Shelly

Here is a link that might be useful: Atlanta Community Food Bank Community Garden Program

Morningsong, what area are you in? I reside in the north metro area and have often wondered the same things. Why aren't there more community gardens around? I too, come from the north/midwest area. I did take a look at the one in Decatur. Although I think the northeren area could use a few more. If you could find someone to let us use some land, which might be a challenge....anyway, if there is anything I can do to help just say the word. Keep me posted!

Taking root, what area are you in? I too live in the North metro area and have thought about starting a community garden. Have you found any yet? Was the one in Decatur at Wonderland gardens?

I have also thought it would be great to have a farmer's market up this way. The few times I visited the one in Duluth, I was dissapointed.

Hi Taking Root- I'm in north Cherokee County. Currently, my family is assessing whether we'll stay in the south or not. If it's "Stay," then I'll see what can be done to move forward. Right now, I'm just trying to find some like-minded people, and determine what some of the resources in the area might be. I am interested in what the Atlanta Community Garden project is doing (might be the wrong name.) I'm also just trying to figure out southern gardening in general, quite a change from upstate New York! It's really good to hear from some Georgia folk on this forum! Can you give me more specifics on how to visit the Decatur gardens?

Mountainsong,

You mentioned that most of the land you can find is owned by somebody. That doesn't necessarily mean there's no hope of using it. Sunshine Community Garden in Austin, TX is on land leased from the state (specifically from the State School for the Blind), and it's been there for many years. Try looking for land around state, county or municipal offices, schools, even churches. Lots of times they're holding that land to build on "someday" and they'll lease it out for very little money to a community organization in the meantime. You do then have the anxiety that you could lose it at any time, but you might also still have the spot 25 years from now.

Oddly enough, some of the big huge apartment mega-developments and new "planned communities" are now starting to offer garden space, too. If you live in an area that's undergoing lots of development, consider talking to the developers. You might be pleasantly surprised; it doesn't cost them all that much to set aside one lot, and it's good community relations for them.

For like-minded people, have you been in touch with your county's Cooperative Extension Agency? You can get lots of help there.

Good luck! It'll be a lot of work, but it's amazing what a handful of people can create.