Community gardens in Nebraska facts for kids
Imagine a big piece of land where lots of people work together to grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers! These are called community gardens. In the U.S. state of Nebraska, there are many such gardens. A community garden is a shared space where different people or families can have their own small plot to grow plants. Sometimes, local people buy or use an empty piece of land to start a garden. Other times, a group like a church might give land for the community to use. Many community gardens in Nebraska are found in or near the big cities of Omaha and Lincoln. You can also find them in smaller towns like Grand Island.
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Community Gardens in Omaha
Omaha has many community gardens where people can connect with nature and grow their own food.
Dundee Community Garden
The Dundee Community Garden is located in the Dundee neighborhood of Omaha, at 4902 Underwood. It's one of the most well-known gardens in the area. This garden is part of the American Community Gardening Association, which helps community gardens across the country.
The Dundee Community Garden started in 2009 on an empty piece of land. A group of local people worked together to create it. In 2013, the garden became a non-profit organization. This means it's a group that uses its money to help the community, not to make a profit. After raising money, with help from groups like the Sherwood Foundation and the Peter Kiewit Foundation, the garden bought the land on May 15, 2013.
The Big Garden
The Big Garden project began in 2005. It started with money from the USDA's Community Food Project. Their first goal was to create 12 community gardens in just three years. They did even better!
Five years later, The Big Garden had 26 gardens in the Omaha area. They also started a sister project called the Big Rural Garden in Southeast Nebraska. Today, The Big Garden is a huge network with over 100 community gardens. These gardens are in Omaha and in smaller towns across Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa. And they are still growing!
In 2014, The Big Garden held its second "Tour de Gardens" in Omaha. About 100 bicycle riders visited 8 different gardens and a special root facility where plants are stored. It was a fun way to see all the different gardens.
Other Gardens in Omaha
Omaha is home to many other wonderful community gardens. Here is a list of some of them:
| Name | Location |
|---|---|
| Benson Community Garden | 1302 North 60th Street |
| The Big Garden | (multiple locations) |
| Big Muddy Urban Farm | 33rd and California, 35th and Cass, 18th and Fowler, 48th and Sahler |
| City Sprouts | 4002 Seward Street |
| Earth Shelter Community Garden | 65th and Ames |
| Farnam Farm | 49th Street and Farnam Street |
| Gifford Park Community Garden | 3416 Cass Street |
| Hands to Harvest Community Garden | 1113 South 31st Street |
| New Omaha Garden Park | 495 S. 192nd, Elkhorn |
| Root Down Community Garden | 32nd and Webster |
| Sherman Community Center Garden | 5701 North 16th Street |
| Springbrook Community Garden | 7322 North 76th Street |
Community Gardens in Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska also has many community gardens. As of May 2014, there were 13 gardens in the city. All of these gardens were full, meaning lots of people wanted to grow their own food!
The main group that helps organize these gardens is called Community CROPS. This name stands for "Combining Resources, Opportunities, and People for Sustainability." Community CROPS started in 2003 with just one garden. Now, they are looking for new places to create even more gardens around Lincoln.
Besides managing community gardens, CROPS also runs a training farm. Here, people can learn how to farm and grow food. They also have a community supported agriculture program, which lets people buy fresh produce directly from local farms. You can also find them at a regular stand at a local farmers' market.
Here are some of the community gardens you can find in Lincoln:
| Name | Location |
|---|---|
| 46th Street | 46th Street and Pioneers Boulevard |
| Antelope | Sumner Street and Normal Boulevard |
| Southern Heights | S 40th Street and Old Cheney Road |
| 1st and L | 1st and L Street |
| Northeast Church | Adams Street |
| Oak Lake Church | N 1st Street |
| Peter Pan Park | Peter Pan Park |
| Mustard Seed | N 70th Street |
| 1st Presbyterian | S 18th Street |
| Southminster | Otoe Street |
| 14th and Hudson | S 14th Street and Hudson Street |
Community Gardens in Grand Island
Smaller communities in Nebraska also have community gardens. For example, in Grand Island, a new garden called the Cherry Street Community Garden started in 2014. This garden offered plots that were about 10 by 10 feet (3.0 m × 3.0 m) for people to rent and grow their own plants. The garden received support from a city councilwoman and the nearby Cherry Street Apartments complex, showing how communities come together to make these green spaces possible.
