Capital District Community Gardens (CDCG) is one of the oldest community gardening
organizations in the country.
Established thirty five years ago, our nonprofit group operates
46 cooperative neighborhood food gardens - enabling families within Albany’s Capital Region in upstate New York to enjoy all the health benefits of growing their own food while at the same time helping to beautify their neighborhoods.
Many of these gardens have been successfully operating for 25 or more years. Overall, more than
3700 families are growing food and flowers in pockets of greenery throughout our
cities. What is a community garden? In short, a community garden is a parcel of land, usually in an urban neighborhood, divided into garden plots that are assigned to individuals, families or groups wishing to garden. By helping communities transform vacant (often run-down) lots into open spaces that provide recreation and fresh produce for residents, we are making our cities healthier, safer, and happier places to live and work.
Every community garden has its own personality. Some gardens are very small (eight plots), and some are larger (an acre or more). Some gardens are slipped into a space once occupied by one or two narrow city homes with houses right next door. Others are on the edge of a city, giving them a more hidden-away feeling, and one of our gardens is located in a corporate office park. Some of the gardens are owned by Capital District Community Gardens (having been donated by private owners), others are used with permission of the landowners. More sites are always needed to meet the hopes of future urban gardeners.
All community gardens operated by CDCG are managed organically – using only organic fertilizing and growing methods. Why? We want to help people grow the healthiest food possible, and we want to be good neighbors to everyone in the garden as well as the properties next door. We have found that virtually anything can be successfully grown without the use of pesticides.
Gardening is relaxing, rejuvenating and offers opportunities for exercise, self-esteem building, recreation, education, neighborhood unity and urban beautification. Children learn important lessons in the garden about their natural environment and how things grow. They also benefit from important time with parents or grandparents in the garden, and enjoy healthy produce grown close to home.
Gardening is relaxing, rejuvenating and offers opportunities for exercise, self-esteem building, recreation, education, neighborhood unity and urban beautification. Children learn important lessons in the garden about their natural environment and how things grow. They also benefit from important time with parents or grandparents in the garden, and enjoy healthy produce grown close to home.
