REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK | How does your garden grow?

Across the Twin Cities, gardens grow in back yards and front yards and alleys. Some gardens are collective—community gardens, either planted collectively or divided into individual plots.

As I walked the dogs last weekend, I saw a crew of people cleaning and preparing the garden in the triangle with the Red River Ox Cart Trail historical marker. Over the past dozen years, this lot went from a city-mowed blandness to a beautiful flower garden with benches and paths, all through the time and talent and care of Master Gardener Karen Wargo.

Last year, Karen began to turn the garden over to a growing group of neighbors headed by Kathy Franzen. For the story of the garden, and what has happened since then, click here. And here is the story of the Cherokee Heights community garden.

I’ll bet that other community gardens have interesting stories, too. You can write the story of your community garden – or send a photo – or put us in touch with someone who could tell the story! Questions? Email: editor@tcdailyplanet.net

Articles submitted by readers:

Urban Farming Needs You by Becca Reilly — urban farm in Southeast Como in Minneapolis

West End Neighbors Garden Tour by Kent Petterson – June 6 garden tour in the West End area of St. Paul

COMMUNITY GARDENS: Cultivating Health and Confidence by TRUTH TO TELL

ANDY DRISCOLL and LYNNELL MICKELSEN talk with community gardeners, urban farmers and their charges from across the Twin Cities weeding out the corporate consumption machine from neighbors’ nutrition toward
pride and self-sufficiency as they feed themselves and their neighbors the healthier results of their toils in the soils.

GUESTS:
DIANE DODGE – Growing Food and Justice
MELVIN GILES – Minnesota Food and Justice Alliance
ROBIN WESTACOTT – Governing Committee member, Dowling Community Garden
Invited: XE SUSANE MOUA – St. Paul urban farmer and advocate