Kindness Grows Here: Arlington’s Community Garden Supports Mission Arlington

By Office of Communication

Posted on July 24, 2018, July 24, 2018

The Community Garden features 78 individual plots, each measuring 16 feet by 4 feet. Gardeners can rent a plot for $35 per calendar year.

Summer is the season of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many North Texans enjoy maintaining a backyard garden. Thanks to a collaboration between the City of Arlington and the University of Texas at Arlington, even those with a small yard or no yard can also grow their own produce.

Arlington Today recently featured the Community Garden of UT Arlington, which is located on campus at 406 Summit Ave. Gardeners can rent a plot for only $25 per calendar year. The only requirement is that plot owners must donate at least half of the food they grow to Mission Arlington, the garden's designated food bank program.

"It creates long-lasting friendships and the feeling that they are doing something good for the community," said Meghna Tare with the UT Arlington Office of Sustainability. "I also think it is a very good education tool to teach the younger generation about the importance of growing food, and organic gardening."

The garden is a half-acre in size. There are 78 individual plots, each measuring 16 feet by 4 feet. The owners are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of their individual plot as well as the garden's common areas. The City and university provide the water and all support, such as a stocked tool shed, a pavilion, mulch, and soil amendment from UTA's award-winning composting program.

According to the Office of Sustainability, the program annually composts 30 tons of food waste from on-campus dining services and off-campus coffee shops and hospitals, as well as yard waste collected from campus ground crews. The compost is used across the campus.

"I love the fact that student groups come together occasionally for cleanup and volunteer at the garden," Tare said. "And the fact that we offer some basic gardening education and teach how to make a rain barrel."

Plot owners must donate at least half of the food they grow to Mission Arlington, the garden's designated food bank program.

Wendy Pappas, a Certified Arborist with the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, is the manager in charge of the garden's grounds maintenance.

"I love seeing the community come together, helping each other out and building a brighter future," Pappas said. "I have met some wonderful people that love gardening and love the community the garden has created."

There are no rules as to what you grow in the garden. In fact, Pappas said she sees a variety of crops.

"We have many different gardeners from many different backgrounds and areas," she said, "so a lot will grow vegetables they are familiar with and that they use to cook."

At this time, the garden is 100 percent full. But interested gardeners can request to be added to the waitlist by emailing Wendy Pappas at [email protected] or Chauntel Murraine at [email protected].

"I think community gardens are very essential for every community," Tare said. "They help reduce Heat Island effect, provide green space and a sense of community, help with food to those in need and also help educate."