Our community garden.

[Michael Lusk]

I live in Indianapolis, just north of downtown in one of our historic neighborhoods. In 2011, several neighbors and myself started a community garden on a couple of empty lots owned by an Orthodox Church in the neighborhood.

The garden space has a cool history. The Church owns an apartment building next to the garden and back in the 70s many of the members lived there communally and this is where they grew their food. As the years passed, the congregation scattered and the property simply served as a green space for the apartments.

When we started the garden, we didn't really know anything about running a community garden. I only know slightly more now. I've administered the garden since it's start and that's really the only bad part. Some folks require way too many reminders to pay, people join then never plant etc. but on the whole it's been an extremely rewarding experience. The main thing I learned is that I really enjoy the experience of gardening - it's time incredibly well spent.

Unfortunately the Church cash needs for maintaining their 100+ year old Church building combined with a really favorable market for vacant property in 'gentrified' neighborhoods have meant they have had to sell the property. The new owners have been kind enough to give us a 'bonus season' but within the next year the garden will likely fall to development.

While I hate to lose the garden, I'm still quite thankful for the time we've had in the space.

The garden as it looks now...

The garden in the first year...

 

[Nyboy]

I guess vacant property is hard to come by. No chance of moving garden ? Any chance everyone pools together some money to buy or long term lease property ? The city where I am empty lots are where crack houses burned down.

 

[Michael Lusk]

@Nyboy, the lots sell for $150K+ so it's way outside the range of our meager group (some of them complained when I raised the plot fee from $25 to $30, lol). We're just getting to the space where all the empty lots have been developed...supply and demand I suppose.

There are some c. gardens around town, but this one was 2 blocks away which was awesome. There are other areas of town where we'll likely end up but it'll definitely be a different group.

 

[digitS']

Where I had a community garden plot for, I guess it was, 6 years was part of park property.

Next to it was their storage yard. Piles of soil, wood chips, etc. It was fine. A little dusty at times when they had something going on with the trucks. The "park" area was on the other side. Sometimes, there were quite a few people walking through.

My son was involved in a community garden at his church. They were interested in flowers, beauty, and all. Much more oriented that way than park department truck drivers .

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

sorry to see it go... looks very nice there. if i lived in a city i would like such a place within walking distance if i could not have enough space in my own yard. i would not want to have to drive to be able to garden.

there are many neighborhoods in a few nearby cities where you can pick up an abandoned house/lot for not much, but the reason for that is that the whole area is unsafe and so you'd be risking your life for a few fresh vegetables.

 

[baymule]

Do you have space in your yard for a few vegetable beds? I used to garden in a narrow strip between our driveway and sidewalk. We moved 3 years ago and now I have 8 acres, my new garden is 70'x100'.

 

[Michael Lusk]

@baymule, we have a little bit of space but most of the yard is shade. I do have one tiny veg patch at home along a fence that gets just enough sun. Crazy enough this year, I have rabbits in my yard but none in the garden (confused city rabbits!).

Your garden is about the same sq. footage as my entire lot! Growing up, both sets of Grand Parents had giant gardens like yours...lots of work but they seemed to really love it. Maybe one day I'll get more space, but for now I'll just look for little patches of sunlight in my yard.

 

[ninnymary]

@baymule, we have a little bit of space but most of the yard is shade. I do have one tiny veg patch at home along a fence that gets just enough sun. Crazy enough this year, I have rabbits in my yard but none in the garden (confused city rabbits!).

Your garden is about the same sq. footage as my entire lot! Growing up, both sets of Grand Parents had giant gardens like yours...lots of work but they seemed to really love it. Maybe one day I'll get more space, but for now I'll just look for little patches of sunlight in my yard.

Could a little pruning help to open up the area and get more sun in? It doesn't have to be much. Perhaps there's a tree that is messy or you're not particulary fond of that could be removed?

Mary

 

[Michael Lusk]

Could a little pruning help to open up the area and get more sun in? It doesn't have to be much. Perhaps there's a tree that is messy or you're not particulary fond of that could be removed?

Mary

Mary, The shade is mainly from the house, garage and three really big trees...it's a long, narrow lot with a tall house. One of the trees, a mulberry, isn't particularly nice but it would be thousands to bring it down. I may look at the lower limbs though and see if I can maybe pick up a bit more sunlight by trimming it back. Thanks!

 

[Nyboy]

Does your mulberry produce fruit ? The leafs are prefect rabbit food