Lake Region Takes Root Community Garden: Maximizing Sustainable Food Production

Abstract

Lake Region Takes Root (LRTR) community garden was started in 2013 to help people in need in Fergus Falls achieve optimum health through access to affordable fresh produce. The idea behind the community garden is spearheaded by Lake Region Healthcare in an effort to provide quality and nutritious food to those that have limited access, limited resources or who can not afford it. Through the first year of operation, Lake Region Takes Root supplied 313 families with fresh produce. Working with other community organizations like, Women and Infants and Children’s program, Fergus Falls Community Food Shelf, Matthew House and A Place to Belong; the garden was able to reach a broader range of people in need.

This report presents findings from a participatory community engagement process designed to identify strategies for the most efficient way to garden in the form of maximizing garden space and layout, rainwater harvesting, storage and distribution systems, composting strategies and creating an overall master plan of the garden.