A community garden can be just about anything, a few tomato plants you have in raised flower beds all the way to a large garden full of different fruits and vegetables. Now you may ask why should your FFA chapter create one? Well the list goes on and on with the benefits of a garden in your community here are just a few
- Allows the community to work with your students
- Hands on Experience
- Gain connections through out the community
- A chance for a service learning project where students can continuously give back and enhance their communities
- It gives your program publicity and a chance to showcase what your students can do
- A garden helps teach nutritional values, not only do community members get a chance to consume fresh food, your students have the opportunity to use this interaction as a teachable moment to show why its important to eat fresh fruits and vegetables
- An opportunity to teach students about landscaping, farming techniques, as well as the chance to show students how to use what they have to make what they want
- A community garden gives not only your students a sense of ownership but it also gives that same thing to your community members that help take care of it or use it.Did you know it is proven that community gardens reduce crime rates that statistic has a large impact on me!
Now if you think wow community gardens cost a lot to start up...don't you fret if you are an FFA chapter you have the chance to apply for the Food For All Grant through National FFA
For more information don't hesitate to turn to your local extension program for help getting a garden started or help maintaining one.
For a chance to talk more about community gardens come check out Genius Hour here at Penn State in Ferguson 214 @ 8am! Or to follow up away from campus be sure to check out my tweets using #TeachAgGenius
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