LEAF Community Garden Bicycle Tour

In 2008, with enthusiastic support from then Mayor Ed FitzGerald, the Lakewood Earth & Food (LEAF) Community broke ground at Cove, Kauffman, Madison, and Webb Parks expanding the total plots to over 150 throughout the community. The four new sites had been carefully chosen by LEAF board members, and approved by Mayor FitzGerald, in order to appeal to and give garden access to a wide array of community members. A fifth site North of The Westerly Apartments was added in 2010.

Each location has a varying number of 10' x 10' plots and leaves plenty of the park area intact for continued use of baseball diamonds and playground equipment at the sites.

Aside from providing apartment and condo dwellers with green space and room to garden, community gardens have been shown to raise nearby property values, lower crime rates in adjacent areas, and provide hours of enjoyment to those who work them. They provide physical activity, camaraderie with neighbors, stress relief, and have been shown to contribute to overall wellness. Gardening is a great platform for inter-generational bonding, provides a wholesome (and fun) activity for the whole family, teaches children where food comes from, and improves the nutrition of those who participate. Growing vegetables in community gardens can help offset rising food prices and bring the community together in the process.

In the past several years, LEAF gardeners have also taken part in the bartering system available at each LEAF Night throughout the season (all gardeners are welcome to participate) and in this manner have also contributed to the donations LEAF makes every week to local charities that help alleviate hunger in our community.

See what is growing in the Lakewood Earth and Food Community (LEAF) community gardens on Thursday, September 15 from 6-8 p.m. This family-friendly group ride will start at LEAF Community Farmer's Market in front of the Main Library and visit the community gardens at Webb and Madison Parks. Come hear first hand from LEAF gardeners about the benefits of community gardening and pick up some gardening tips as the fall harvest comes in. LEAF representatives will be on hand to answer questions and point out the produce that grows best in Lakewood.

Lakewood Earth and Food (LEAF) Community is dedicated to the development of a more sustainable, healthful and economically viable community through environmentally responsible actions producing broad access to fresh, local foods, knowledge and culture.