A community garden is a public area, typically

within or near a park, where individuals from the

community can
rent plots and
Revolutionizing Colorado’s Local Food Economy 
grow their own
food. “Whereas  
community
gardens allow
individuals to
grow plots for
themselves, ours are existing flower plots in Denver
parks that are given to us to turn into vegetable
gardens, it’s a different model that provides more
efficient benefits and saves the city money” (Civic
Center Park Garden)
-Dana Miller, Director of Grow Local

Grow Local (Harvard Gultch Park Garden)

works in Mission: 
association with   Grow Local Colorado is an alternative food 
many other network working to revolutionize the way food is 
Denver produced, distributed, and the way our society and 
alternative food economy interacts with local agriculture.  Grow 
networks, Local is a volunteer organization utilizing public 
“defined by land to cultivate produce donated to local food 
attributes such banks. 
as the spatial  
(Cherry Creek Farmers’ Market) proximity
between farmers and consumers, the existance of
retail venues such as farmer’s markets, community
supported agriculture and a commitment to Farmers Market photo courtesy of http://ChrisandSaraLew.com

sustainable food production and consumption” Hendersen, Bethany, and Kimberly Hartfield. "Is Getting into the Community Garde n
Business a Good Way to Engage Citizens in Local Government?" National
(Jarosz 231), in order to promote growth and Civic Review (2009): 12-17. Print.

sustainability within the local economy, utilizing the
community resources for community needs.
Jarosz, L. "The City in the Country: Growing Alternative Food Networks in Metropolitan
Areas." Journal of Rural Studies 24.3 (2008): 231-44. Print
Padel, Susanne, and Carolyn Foster. "Exploring the Gap between Attitudes and
Behaviour: Understanding Why Consumers Buy or Do Not Buy Organic Food."
British Food Journal 107.8 (2005): 606-25. Print.

 
(Observatory Park Garden) 

Grow Local’s Impact  
   How Grow Local is Raising  The Grow Local Revolution 
All produce from Grow Local Colorado  Community Awareness   
gardens is donated to local food banks in order to      The Grow Local Colorado community is 
give back to people in the community; this  doing much more than raising awareness of 
  A fundamental goal of the Grow Local 
organization is 100% non‐profit.  By donating to  alternative food networks, donating to food 
Campaign is to raise awareness local organic 
food banks, Grow Local supports the those who 
agriculture.  They are accomplishing this by:  banks, and growing produce. The community is  
normally cannot afford fresh produce, as well 
         fighting an uphill battle against the current 
making organic produce available to those who 
would not normally have access. Local Food Banks  ‐Striving to remain “hyperlocal” (Denver only!) to  capitalized and politically influenced food 
like Ample   
connect with community members  production and distribution agenda.  
Harvest try  ‐Partnering with Denver Parks and Recreation to    As a group promoting their cause in 
to utilize  encourage program growth and prominence  various sectors, it can be a struggle to get 
 
the  ‐Creating connection between potential gardeners  support, funding, or action to change the 
internet,  and land owners to increase “Gardensharing”  current policies, legislation, or even way of 
that enables             
thinking that surround food production.  
‐Hosting AgriCULTURE potlucks open to the public 
(Food Bank  to spread knowledge of Grow Local’s cause  Our society is big on revolution. A 
Stock)                
revolution 
40 million  ‐Hosting an annual AgriCULTURE tour of Denver 
showcasing the local food movement right here!  providing relief of 
plus   
impoverishment, 
Americans who grow food in home gardens, to  Grow Local is operating on many levels to raise 
easily donate their extra harvest to one of 3,657  promoting 
awareness of one of the largest, often forgot 
registered local food pantries in one of our 50  sustainability, and 
about issues: food production.   
states.   fully utilizing 
 
Grow Local has worked to distance itself  To learn more about how you can get involved and  Earth’s resources 
from Food Supply Chains questioning why ship in  support Grow Local please visit GrowLocalColroado.org   is one that may be worth getting behind. Grow 
food when you can get it from local places in the    Local Colorado, and their supporters (like you!) 
city of Denver?  Don’t forget to check out the Calendar of Upcoming Events!  are calling for a Grow Local Revolution: for the 
  “Part of the vegetables grown at the    government to support the people that 
governor’s mansion will go to The Kitchen (a food  Models such as Grow Local’s and community 
support them. 
bank) and the rest of the food will go to The  gardening are sustainable food production 
Many alternative food reforms are 
Gathering Place, which is a non‐profit organization  methods for the future in which, “consumers will 
not have to worry about what chemicals may have  spreading a new mindset about food. If you’re 
that works as a drop‐in center for women and 
children who need safe places.”   been used on the produce because they cultivated  interested in taking action to revolutionize our 
‐Miller  the crops themselves”  food system along side of Grow Local 
  The time and dedication Grow Local is  (Hendersen et. al 12). This  Colorado, please visit any of the following 
putting in to keep our produce local and make a  community can serve as a means  resources to find out more information and 
community impact through a community project. If  to providing affordable organic  how to get involved: 
you’re interested in helping, check out the  produce while offering incentives   
following resource:  for “greater involvement in one’s  http://www.growlocalcolorado.org/get‐involved.html 
http://www.ampleharvest.org/  community, through  http://sustainableagriculture.net/take‐action/ 
volunteerism and social  http://www.sustainabletable.org/home.php 
interaction” (Padel et. al 615).   http://www.localharvest.org/ 
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/