Community Gardens with Youth Programming in Minnesota

Community Design Center, St. Paul
We engage local youth in sustainable urban agriculture and environmental restoration and conservation through our Garden Corps and Conservation Corps programs.

Duluth Community Garden Program supports 17 community garden sites for Duluth residents to grow their own food, and offers kids’ gardening programming, and food preservation education and equipment. 

Youth Farm and Market Project, Minneapolis & St. Paul
Youth run urban gardening program working on issues of local food access, youth organizing, and cultural nutrition.

Community Gardens with Websites

City of Circle Pines Community Gardens, Circle Pines

City of Eden Prairie Community Gardens, Eden Prairie

City of Falcon Heights Community Gardens -- gardens currently being developed, call Justin at 651-792-7611 for more information. 

Dowling Community Garden, Minneapolis
One of two victory gardens remaining in Minnesota, established 1943.

MN Food Association (MFA), Marine-on-st. Croix -- this organization hosts large community garden plots for groups of four to five people to maintain together (typically through an organization).  MFA also offers entrepreneurial agricultural training and land for micro-farming and anyone wishing to enter into farming business, with training available to New Americans (immigrants).

Olson Community Gardens, City of Chanhassen

St. Anthony Park Community Garden in St. Paul and their Blog

St. John's Community Garden Society, Collegeville
This is a group of people from St. John's Community Garden Society, College of St. Benedict (St. Joseph) and St. John's University (Collegeville) who have an interest is sharing gardening knowledge with each other.

St. Peter Community Garden, St. Peter
A collaborative project between Gustavus, the University of Minnesota Extension Service, School District 508 and the Community of St. Peter

SE Como Improvement Association, Minneapolis
This neighborhood association supports 6 community garden sites for beautification, food and horticultural therapy.

Totem Town Community Garden, St. Paul
A wonderful community garden blog full of interesting and useful information.

Vera's Garden, Minneapolis
Located along the Midtown Greenway, this garden is a showcase of beauty

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Gardening Organizations (Minnesota and National)

American Community Gardening Association
A fantastic resource for community gardening, pulling from the expertise of community gardeners (like you) across the hemisphere and beyond: conference, trainings, publications, listserv, etc.  Become a member today – it’s money well spent! 

Minnesota State Horticultural Society (MSHS)
Providing education and support to gardeners throughout Minnesota since 1866.  MSHS publishes Northern Gardener magazine, offers classes, a gardening library, and a bookstore.  Many community gardens are members of Minnesota Green, the outreach program of MSHS which coordinates donations of plants for public spaces.

UMN-Extension’s Master Gardener Program
Master Gardeners are available in most counties to answer your gardening questions. Look online at Ask A Master Gardener.  Call their metro area hotline at 952-443-1426 with specific gardening questions or visit them online for more information.

St. Paul Parks
Supports community gardens and sponsors the St. Paul Golden Blooms awards.    

Yards to Gardens
is a new website that connects people who are looking for gardening space with people that have space available.

University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chanhassen
The Arboretum features over 1,000 acres of magnificent gardens, model landscapes, eco-demonstration sites-with an extensive collection of northern-hardy plants.  Additional offerings include educational programs for adults and youth, U of M Horticulture research center and renown Andersen Horticulture Library.

Land Stewardship Project
Local nonprofit supporting local food system development through its CSA Directory and Farm Beginnings program, teaching the next generation of farmers.

Midwest Food Connection
Minneapolis-based non-profit that teaches children about natural foods, healthful eating, and sustainable agriculture. They work with over 7,000 children at 60 schools annually.

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Policy making institute that educates and assists citizens in the fostering of economically and environmentally sustainable communitities.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
The DNR is very supportive of people taking stewardship of the environment in their own backyards.  Visit their gardens webpage for lots of useful information and free publications specific to gardening.

National Agricultural Library of the US Department of Agriculture
This library has a massive catalog of publications and resources pertinent to community gardening.  The library’s Information Centers help to organize this data and have the nicest reference librarians available to help you locate materials. 

City Farmer
This is a terrific global online resource for all matters related to community gardening and urban agriculture.  City Farmer also features a list of books and other publications related to community gardening in Canada, USA and throughout the world.

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