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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Gardening for Local Food Production

Community gardens promote healthy communities and provide food security for many low income persons. Community gardens strengthen community bonds and create recreational and therapeutic opportunities for the people of the community. They can also promote environmental awareness and provide community education. One of the goals to create healthier communities is to improve nutrition and access to food for the community as a whole.

A community garden has the potential to address much larger issues such as food security. In order for a community to enjoy food security it must have access to adequate amounts of safe and nutritious foods that are produced in an environmentally sustainable way.

Food security encompasses the safety, quality and sustainability of our food supply, and access to a healthy diet. When thinking about food security in relation to your community, ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Does your community have access to local-grown nutritious food?
• What happens when families can't afford to buy nutritious food?
• What role do community gardens and community kitchens play in enhancing people's ability to eat well?
• Do we have a sustainable agricultural system?

By making sure that all people, at all times, have access to adequate amounts of safe, nutritious, appropriate foods, produced in an environmentally sustainable way and provided in a manner that promotes dignity, we will have obtained the first steps of food security.

One purpose of a community garden is to provide fresh local produce to community organizations who help serve those in need. The community garden in Amherst is a product of many community organizations that help provide for those in need; such as, the Poverty Action Committee, the Cumberland Food Network, Maggies Place, and the local food bank, just to name a few.

We still have a few spaces left if you would like to grow food for yourself and for others less fortunate. Please contact me if you would like to be a part of the Amherst Community Garden.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on her website at: http://emeryvine.webs.com or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

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