Community gardens like the 7th Avenue Community Garden in Long Branch can provide a wide range of benefits to both the gardeners and the broader community. Beyond providing access to land, Community Gardens can offer technical support and build community connections that move beyond the garden fence. They can also offer the opportunity to educate the community about environmentally friendly gardening practices and provide a source of fresh local produce to local food banks and feeding programs. 

Our Community Garden is open from June thru September and information can be obtained from the Office of Community & Economic Development, 732-923-2040. We seek your feedback on what kinds of offerings would enhance the value that the garden provides to the community such as the ones mentioned at the bottom of the page.

Why is it important?

Food in the United States travels an average of 13,000 miles from farm to fork, and much of this food spoils during transit. Eating locally produced food reduces fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and other negative environmental consequences associated with the transportation of food. 

Community gardens also provide a wide range of other benefits:

• Health Benefits: Community gardens provide access to fresh nutrient-rich produce, and allow people to understand where their food comes from and how food choices impact the body, environment, and community. Community gardens can also help foster good mental health by serving as a place to recover from illness or injury, restore concentration, and improve one’s outlook on life. Community gardens also create opportunities for social interaction, recreation, exercise that can help keep people active longer than some other activities.

• Food Production: Community gardens allow individuals to produce food and provide a place for gardeners to share knowledge and skills. Gardeners also save money on produce that would otherwise be purchased at the supermarket.

• Environmental Benefits: Green vegetation can reflect as much as 20%-25% of radiation from the sun, reducing the heat island effect.  Garden soil absorbs water, which reduces runoff from the rain and helps minimize surface erosion.  These small open spaces in urban areas also help retain native wildlife and support migratory species2 .

• Municipal Benefits: Community gardens help build community and can serve as an economic benefit to local governments by increasing property values in the immediate vicinity where they are located and bringing more people into the area. In urban environments, they can also serve as a retreat from the hustle and bustle, and may attract small businesses.

• Education: Community gardens can serve as wonderful outdoor classrooms to teach valuable skills like math, communication, responsibility, and cooperation. They also provide the opportunity to learn about the importance of community, stewardship, and environmental responsibility. Community gardens can also stimulate interaction and teach self-reliance.

• Crime Prevention: Community gardens can serve as a focal point for community organizing and can lead to community-based efforts to deal with other social concerns. For example, it may help increase neighborhood surveillance and deter crime, while also providing a safe place for youth.