A group of neighbors are getting together to start a community garden out here in the country. One household is contributing the land and we now have 5 households involved in the planning stage.
We have set up the first compost pile and will start hauling in bagged leaves this week. There's a local dairy about 3 miles from the garden spot and I think we can get the dairyman to haul cow poop to it. We're hoping to get a plot ready for a winter garden 2009.
Our biggest problem to overcome may be to get a water meter set for the garden area. Our local community water company charges a lot of $ to set a meter. I am hoping to negotiate a break from them on that fee.
If we can solve the water problem soon I will start putting out flyers inviting more community participation.
Does anyone here have suggestions for us? Anything to watch out for?
New 'Country Community' Garden near Gilmer, TX
Hi Maggidew....There are lots of good resources (how to's etc.) at the website of the American Community Gardening Assn. www.communitygarden.org I don't know what you can do about the water access, but maybe rain barrels would be an option for you, at least as a back up idea and a conservation method. If you want to know more about rain barrels, let me know. I don't know how much rain you get per year, so this may or may not be an option.
I have co edited a book Community Gardens, published by Brooklyn Botanic Garden (www.bbg.org). This website has a whole section under GreenBridge (Education section of website) on community gardening and on composting.
Sounds as if you are off to a good start, especially because you have all that acccess to manure. What could be better! Ellen Kirby