So you’d like to plant a vegetable garden but you don’t have room at home? Or maybe you do have room at home, but would enjoy some camaraderie while you plant and harvest? Community gardens can be a great solution to either of these situations.
Ventura County has lots of opportunities for those who would like to have a plot at a community garden. On the Ventura County UCCE website we offer a guide to local gardening resources, which can be found here.
In addition to available garden plots, this resource also includes contact information for groups such as the Grow Food Party Crew and the Ventura City Corps that assist others in establishing their own gardens. The UCCE Master Gardener Speaker’s Bureau is another great resource and is available for talks to groups on a variety of subjects.
Several local food banks are a great place to take your excess harvest. The food banks in turn can quickly deliver the fresh fruits and vegetables to outlets throughout our community for those in need. Local food bank contacts are also available in this resource.
Lastly there are many places one can find locally produced compost and mulch. David Goldstein, an environmental resource analyst for the County of Ventura explains the difference between compost and mulch in addition to providing details on how the products are produced. He also includes contact information to find locally produced compost and mulch -- some is free, and the costs of the others vary. Some places can even deliver directly to your home or community garden for an additional fee.