Question

"Nothing’s better than food straight from the garden to the stomach’. What are the pros and cons of private and community food gardens?

Accepted Answer

Private and community food gardens have many advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages include:
1. Insight-- Community members will know exactly how the crops are grown and if any chemicals were used to maintain them.
2. Accessibility--The community garden is near the home and easy to access.
3. Control-- The community members can decide exactly how the crops will be grown and can choose to be organic or use fertilizers or pesticides.
Disadvantages include:
1. Availability-- Growing vegetables in a community style garden means that there may be lulls in vegetable production, because it is on a smaller scale.  
2.  Choice-- Community gardens, because they are smaller operations, usually have to choose a few basics and only grow those selections.  It will not be like going to the supermarket where there is every choice possible.
3.  Risk--Community gardens require personal investment to start up the crops, without any promise or certainty that those crops will yield results.  
4. Time-- Community gardens need effort and exertion to maintain, not to mention organization about which community members will fulfill the roles to care for the crops.

Answer

For the individual:Pro:Great tasting fresh food.You may save a lot of money on produce.Encourages a healthy diet.Helps you understand how food is produced.May have spiritual benefits.Makes you get outdoors and get some exercise a few times a week.Builds community -- you get to know your neighbours.Creates a green space in your urban environment.Con:If you arent a skilled gardener, all your plants may die.Raccoon, pigeons, and other urban wildlife may get all your food.Big city smog can contaminate food.Requires regular maintenance -- may be hard if you work long hours or do business travel.

Agriculture

"Nothing’s better than food straight from the garden to the stomach’. What are the pros and cons of private and community food gardens?

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