Groups start site on LI community gardens

Looking to learn more about local community gardens? Now, there’s a place to go for that. A new website launched Tuesday to serve as a resource for establishing and maintaining community gardens across the region.

Long Island Community Gardens was developed in four months in partnership with Stony Brook University Family Medicine’s Community Roots Project, the Suffolk County Food Policy Council and Sustainable Long Island.

The website encourages self-sustaining community gardens, promoting locally grown produce and improved public health, said Erin Thoresen, senior program coordinator at Sustainable Long Island.

“Long Island has a long agricultural history and this is building on that tradition,” said Thoresen, who also serves as chair of the Suffolk County Food Policy Council’s Food Equity subcommittee. “We want the website to continue to grow interest in community gardens and give people a way to connect with each other and combine resources.”

Five Sustainable Long Island interns developed the website. Additional interns will continue their work and update and maintain the website, blog and email, she said. 

“We’ve been getting questions about community gardens for a long time,” Thoresen said. “Now, there’s a central place for people to learn more about starting their own or joining community gardens and get tips on seasonal ingredients, among other resources.”