Farewell, Chico Community Environmental Gardens
Very quietly, the Chico Community Environmental Garden has closed up shop and disappeared. It was located on the site just south of Costco and adjacent to the Torres Shelter. To make a long story short, the California Water Service Company, which owns the land, is ready to use the property for other purposes. The lease on the land was not renewed, and that's that.
The CCEG led a relatively brief and quiet history. Its location among the big box stores was far from ideal (though it was the best they could do at the time), and like many small nonprofits, lack of funding (and lack of time to seek funding) were big challenges.
The traditional model of a community garden finds its most natural niche in urban settings, where neighborhood residents--often living in apartments--pay for the annual rental of a garden plot. The garden supplies the water, soil, and often the gardening tools while the renter provides the labor and is able to reap the bounty of his or her harvest.
There still exists in town at least one community garden that I know of, operating quietly "under the radar." While I don't think Chico is the ideal town for the type of community garden that one might see in a larger, more densely populated city, I do think that they have their place.
What if, for example, there was a communal garden space as a part of every apartment, condominium complex, or high density housing development in Chico--offered to and shared by residents in the same manner as a the pool, laundry facilities, or play structure?
Another variation of the community garden is the one that is in the planning stages at the Dorothy F. Johnson Center. A true community-oriented garden for the Chapman Neighborhood, the present idea for this space is to have different sections of the garden maintained by individuals for the benefit of the community. Ideas include a demonstration of espaliered fruit trees, and medicinal herb section, and garden plots that reflect the ethnic and cultural heritage of Chapman residents. This garden will be on the same site as the existing garden, which was planted more for the benefit of the Dorothy F. Johnson youth programs and was difficult to maintain.
Feel free to respond to this blog if you would like to get involved in this effort.