About LCC's Community Garden and Greening Subcommittee

Subcommittee mission:

To improve neighborhood access to gardening opportunities and develop a strong sense of community between residents. This Subcommittee was formed to allocate the $22,000 in NRP funds that were allocated for Community Gardens.

We have four objectives:

1. Develop small community gardens in vacant areas, parks and public open spaces.
2. Promote opportunities for sustainable gardening, i.e. organic gardening.
3. Improvement of established community gardens.
4. Educate current and prospective gardeners on gardening techniques, alternative and sustainable methods, and how to use and preserve their harvest.

Our Subcommittee helps coordinators of the three existing community gardens in the neighborhood, finds sites for additional community gardens, and promote sustainable gardening and greenspace development throughout the neighborhood. Our vision of what a community garden is goes beyond vegetable gardening to include a wide range of community-based greening initiatives.

Meeting day and time:

Please email or call Eric Hart, 612-722-3260, for more information.

Longfellow community gardens:

Dowling Community Garden
A 4-acre garden at 39th Street and 46th Avenue serving 190+ gardeners. One of the largest community gardens in the Twin Cities and perhaps the oldest in the United States, it was started around the beginning of World War II and has been growing strong ever since.

Location: 39th Street and 46th Avenue
Size: 190+ plots, most 20 X 20 feet
Availability: There is currently a waiting list
To get on the waiting list: Call the voicemail: 651-255-6607

Minnehaha Community Garden
Begun in 1997 with Longfellow NRP funds, this garden serves nearby residents who are mostly renters.

Location: 3128 Minnehaha Avenue South (just south of Lake Street)
Size: 16 plots, most 8 X 8 feet
Availability: Plots are available
To get a plot: Contact Don Hammen by email or phone (612-724-7615)

32nd Street Community Garden
Has been a community garden for about 10 years. It serves 6 gardeners, most of whom live within 2 blocks of the garden.

Location: 29th Avenue and 32nd Street (one block east of Minnehaha Avenue)
Size: 10 plots, most 5 X 11 feet
Availability: No plots currently available
To get a plot: Contact Eric Hart by email or phone (612-722-3260)

Upcoming projects:

Our focus is currently on spending down the remaining NRP money we have. About half of it will go to the three existing community gardens and the rest will be used for Midtown Greenway greening efforts based on the Greenway Landscape Master Plan developed in 2005.