There are numerous community gardens in the U.S. state of Nebraska. A community garden is a piece of land collectively farmed by several people and may be created by local residents purchasing or taking over a vacant plot, or by an institution such as a church donating land to the community. In Nebraska many of the community gardens are to be found in or near the principal cities of Omaha and Lincoln, although examples may also be found in smaller communities such as Grand Island.
Dundee Community Garden is in the Dundee neighborhood of Omaha. The garden site is located at 4902 Underwood. Dundee Community Garden is one of the most notable. Dundee Community Garden is a member of the American Community Gardening Association. The garden was founded on a vacant lot in 2009 by a group of local residents. In early 2013, Dundee Community Garden Inc., received non-profit status as a 501(c)(3) organization. After a fundraising campaign, which included support from the Sherwood Foundation and the Peter Kiewit Foundation, on 15 May 2013, DCG purchased the land from the previous owner.
The Big Garden began in 2005. Initially funded by the USDA's Community Food Project, the Big Garden had a goal of creating 12 community gardens in three years. Five years later the Big Garden included 26 gardens in the metro-Omaha area and added a sister project, the Big Rural Garden, in Southeast Nebraska. Today, the Big Garden is a network of over 100 community gardens in metro-Omaha and rural and semi-rural communities in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa---and growing!
The second annual "Tour de Gardens" was held in Omaha in 2014 with approximately 100 bicycle riders visiting 8 gardens and a root facility.
| Name | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Benson Community Garden | 1302 North 60th Street | |
| (multiple locations) | ||
| Big Muddy Urban Farm | 33rd and California, 35th and Cass, 18th and Fowler, 48th and Sahler | |
| City Sprouts | 4002 Seward Street | |
| Earth Shelter Community Garden | 65th and Ames | |
| Farnam Farm | 49th Street and Farnam Street | |
| Gifford Park Community Garden | 3416 Cass Street | |
| Hands to Harvest Community Garden | 1113 South 31st Street | |
| New Omaha Garden Park | 495 S. 192nd, Elkhorn | |
| Root Down Community Garden | 32nd and Webster | |
| Sherman Community Center Garden | 5701 North 16th Street | |
| Springbrook Community Garden | 7322 North 76th Street |
Lincoln, Nebraska has 13 community gardens as of May 2014. All of these are full and the organising institution, Community CROPS (Combining Resources, Opportunities, and People for Sustainability), which was founded in 2003 with one garden, is now looking for new sites around Lincoln. In addition to the community gardens, CROPS also runs a training farm, a community supported agriculture program, and a regular stand at a local farmers' market.
| Name | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| 46th Street | 46th Street and Pioneers Boulevard | |
| Antelope | Sumner Street and Normal Boulevard | |
| Southern Heights | S 40th Street and Old Cheney Road | |
| 1st and L | 1st and L Street | |
| Northeast Church | Adams Street | |
| Oak Lake Church | N 1st Street | |
| Peter Pan Park | Peter Pan Park | |
| Mustard Seed | N 70th Street | |
| 1st Presbyterian | S 18th Street | |
| Southminster | Otoe Street | |
| 14th and Hudson | S 14th Street and Hudson Street |
A new community garden in Grand Island called the Cherry Street Community Garden was started in 2014, with plots available for rent, supported by a city councilwoman and the adjacent Cherry Street Apartments complex.