A community garden is a piece of land cultivated by members of a community, often in urban areas or areas where most people do not have their own land to farm.

Community gardens provide access to fresh produce and plants as well as access to satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment.

Community gardens encourage an urban community’s food security by allowing citizens to grow their own food for themselves or to donate to those in need. They also serve to bring a community together in service of sustainability and connection to the environment and they provide a  natural setting for community meetings and events.

Many Virgin Islanders who want to garden and don’t have their own land would benefit from the establishment of these small plots which could be run by partnerships between the  community and non-profit or government organizations. As most of our produce is imported, we have to pay a premium for food that has travelled a long distance and may not always be top quality.

 GrowVI is working to make these gardens become a reality and is researching land availability and grants to begin creating community gardens on St Thomas. If you know of any land, or would like to donate your own,  please contact Shanna James at shanna@growvi.org.

The American Community Gardening Association http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/

New York Restoration Project, founded by Bette Midler, great site to learn about community gardens: http://www.nyrp.org/