Whether you live in a rural area, as we do here in Heber-Overgaard, or in a big city, there are many benefits of establishing and participating in a community garden. Here are just a few:
- Learn life skills. Whether it is to teach children or adults how to become more self-sufficient, learning how to grow your food is quite empowering. It is a skill you will use for a lifetime. It not only provides you with nutritious food, but it also provides you with a bit of exercise, fresh air, and some quality outdoor time. It may even inspire you to become more resourceful in other areas. It is also a great way to introduce children to science and help them understand our ecosystems and how to support them.
- Reduce stress. Studies show that working in a garden will reduce stress, which in turn helps to promote good mental health and enhance your mood. It is partly due to the bit of physical activity involved (beats sitting in front of the TV or some device), but the exposure to sunlight and fresh air, which boosts your vitamin D production, helps as well. Oh, and don’t forget that you are learning new skills and gaining new knowledge, which can help keep your brain young. And I don’t know about you, but feeling a bit younger helps eliminate my stress. Reducing stress also helps decrease anxiety and depression.
- Access to nutritious food. Living in rural areas can be unnerving when supply chains break down. That is, if you depend on those supply chains to keep food on your table. But a robust community garden provides nutritious food within easy reach of residents and helps reduce food insecurity. Fresh produce supports a healthy diet and the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber we need. This helps reduce obesity, increases our immune health, helps establish a healthy gut, reduces the risk of heart disease, and even prevents some types of cancer.
- Saves money. Having abundant produce readily available within easy access can reduce your grocery bills and provide healthy food options when you cannot reach the stores, as during the recent pandemic. In addition to saving money by growing your own food, you will get the full food value without losing nutrition during long shipping times or harvesting when unripe. Plus, nothing tastes as fantastic as fresh produce. Compare a store-bought tomato to one right out of the garden!
- Create community. A community garden creates community pride. It is a gathering place where we get to know neighbors from beyond those next door. It is not only a great way to share knowledge and experience to encourage others to grow their own food, but it enlarges our social circles, which can also improve both physical and mental health. Humans are social animals and gardening is a great way to meet that need!
- Improving the environment. Living plants help to absorb carbon dioxide and pollutants while producing oxygen. Growing plants helps to improve air quality. Adding flowers to the mix attracts bees and improves pollination, encouraging even more healthy plant growth.
So, there are many benefits to building and participating in a community garden. We hope you’ll take advantage of one near you, and if you don’t have one nearby, consider starting one!
If you are in the Heber-Overgaard area, we hope you’ll join us!