Hi I work with community gardens in urban areas, so I may be able to help some. (Perhaps I'm a hipster too!) First off, please visit the American Community Gardening Association web site, and please join ACGA. They are a clearinghouse of information on developing and maintaining community gardens. From my own professional experience, here is my advice. But remember this, they key is to engage and empower the people directly involved with the garden and all stages of its development. The best way to get neighborhood residents involved is through personal contact. Start talking to your neighbors, and get to know neighborhood residents where they gather, such as libraries, community centers, parks, anywhere. The average person doesn't know what a 'community' garden is. However, many are very interested in the idea of turning a vacant lot into a garden where they can grow veggies, flowers and herbs. See if you can get at least 2-3 persons interested and get their names and numbers. Ask them to ask the people they know in the neighborhood if they would be interested in a garden. 2. See if there is a community gardening organization in your area. Start by contacting your local County Extention Service. They will be able to direct you to any local community gardening groups who might be able to help you. These groups sometimes provide help with community organizing, acquistion of land, rototilling, seeds and plants, etc. 3. Plan a public meeting including the people you have already recruited and anyone they would like to bring. Advertise the meeting with flyers in public places, and in people's mail boxes. Hold the meeting at a local library, community center, etc. ACGA has a great slide show about community gardening that can be borrowed and shown at the meeting, if you wish. Don't be too upset if a lot of people don't show up for the meeting. The critical factor here is the # of people you have personally recruited. See if you can find one person (must be a person from the neighborhood) who can be the 'assistant' leader. 3. Contact the city, and find out who owns the land on the lot you would like to use. Then get permission to use it. Try and get a committment for at least 3 years. If the city owns the land, they will often 'lease' it for $1 per year. 4. Organize a 'work day' with those interested and clean up trash on the lot. Ask a couple of local business to donate something for the garden--donuts, drinks for snacks for the volunteers, garbage bags for clean-up, work gloves, etc. Make it fun! Anyone who happens by as you are working, tell them what is happening, and ask them if they want to get involved or to have a garden. These are the first steps. What happens next depends upon how these first four steps turn out. Being a college educated person, very hip as you are, remember that many people who live in low-income neighborhoods cannot relate to the hipster thing, so you need to be REALLY down-to-earth, and count on neighborhood residents to eventually take the lead in this whole process. I have found 3 basic types of persons in urban neighborhoods, when it comes to the idea of gardening. 1. Those who have absolutely no interest in gardening, or whether it exists at all. 2. Those who have little or no gardening experience, have little clue what it's all about, but could become VERY interested if asked to participate, or if they see a successful gardening project in action. 3. Those who are thrilled at the opportunity of having a garden that they can become involved in in their neighborhood. I am confident that the above 3 types, and gradations (+) and (-), exist in every neighborhood. You are doing a wonderful thing. I wish you the best of luck. Gardens Revitalize Our World! (GROW) Shelly Here is a link that might be useful: American Community Gardening Association

Landscape timbers work well for a low cost bed wall. A mixture of soil with liberal additions of compost would be a good start for filling the beds. These would be good questions for all the founders of the community garden to address together: it would help mold the community. Renais

So many lovely pictures! Thanks for sharing your gardens :) Here's what I woke up to this morning...old picture, but same look. Now, it's all melted and the sun is peeking out. Typical November weather! LOL From Lavender's Garden

I went a little over board . I'm afraid that the yield is going to be low because the garden barely get 6 hrs of full sun .If i get bumper crops I have lots of kids and friends to share with, If that's so it will give me more room for other plants .I planted squash and cukes on Sunday .I still have room for fall greens and some cabbages . what ever is not behind that netting is getting eaten by the rabbits and deer .I'm going to cover my raspberries soon