GREENSBORO - The Cooperative Extension Program of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has scheduled a one-day forum – “Let It Grow!” –  for groups or individuals interested in organizing community gardens.

The forum is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at Caraway Conference Center in Randolph County. Attendance is limited to 50 and pre-registration is required by Wednesday, April 2, by calling Linda McCain at (336) 334-7956 during regular business hours. Admission is free and lunch and refreshments will be provided. Attendees will have a chance to win one of two door prizes, each valued at $250 in gardening supplies.

“Let It Grow!” will expose participants to the many benefits community gardens can provide for neighborhoods and organizations. Attendees will learn many practical tips, including such things as how to organize groups, how to find an appropriate site on public space, at schools, churches or homes, how to make the ground ready for planting, and where to find 

appropriate resources. The program will include an array of presenters from N.C. A&T, North Carolina State University and Cornell University who have had hands-on experience in establishing successful community gardens.

“Though community gardens are common in urban centers across the country, the concept is still relatively undeveloped in North Carolina,” said Dr. Robert Williamson, a “Let It Grow!” organizer. “However, as our state becomes more diverse and urbanized, communities are looking for projects that can build bonds between neighbors, and the idea is catching on.”Groups in Durham have started successful community gardens, and many schools have done so as well, he added.

Benefits can be tangible, including such things as beautification, reclaiming green space, or fund raising through the sale of vegetables or flowers. When organized at schools, gardens can also be incorporated into the science curriculum, Williamson noted.

Other rewards are less visible but no less valuable, including such things as building pride and cohesiveness within a neighborhood, or providing health to individuals, he added. These benefits are attracting the interest of social sciences researchers in major universities, who are studying the role community gardens can play in revitalizing neighborhoods, or improving individual well being. In the words of University of Michigan psychologist Stephen Kaplan, these studies are proving that “Nature is not just ‘nice’... it is a vital ingredient in healthy human functioning.”

For participants, however, community gardens are simply a fun way to connect with nature, exercise in the fresh air, and make new friends. “Let It Grow!” will provide them the know-how and resources to get started.