Community gardens are sprouting up across North Texas to educate people on proper gardening techniques and help feed the less fortunate at the same time.
At the Episcopal Church of St. Thomas the Apostle in Preston Hollow, church members took an unused, overgrown piece of land the church owns and turned it into a community garden they maintain.
Two large plots contribute fresh produce to food pantries across North Texas. In addition, volunteers tend 16 smaller plots for themselves, tithing 10 percent of their harvest to a hunger organization of their choosing.
The Richardson-based Gardeners in Community Development helps establish community gardens throughout the region, including one it helped start at Arthur Kramer Elementary School in 2002. Students participate in cultivating the garden, and the food is donated to food pantries.
Northway Christian Church on Northwest Highway also maintains a community garden.
The gardens produce a wide range of produce, including peppers, an assortment of greens, cucumbers, beans, zucchini and other squash and tomatoes. In 2007, Gardeners in Community Development donates more than 7,000 pounds of food every year.
