Amy Bender Webb
Martha Campbell
Deborah Rutter
Toms Garden
Who and What
Tom's Garden, an initiative of Nest Realty Group, promotes community gardening in the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the surrounding communities.
We give grants of "seed money" to individual and organizations who wish to start (or improve an existing) community garden.
We also created and maintain this site to help you find funding, from us or other sources, mentorship, resources and perhaps a bit of inspiration for your community garden project!
Why
Thomas Jefferson, Charlottesville's most famous gardener, wrote that "[Agriculture] is at the same time the most tranquil, healthy, and independent occupation."
We at Nest Realty Group couldn't agree more. In addition to sharing a profession, we share a commitment to our community, an interest in the local food movement and ecology, and a firm conviction that community gardens enhance quality of life.
We believe a community garden
- is a beautiful and joyful place.
- enables people to grow fresh, affordable food.
- gives families a place to share unplugged leisure time.
- can help transform a row of houses into a neighborhood.
- reintroduces the outdoors into the lives of people missing that daily pleasure.
- adds green space to any residential setting.
- creates opportunities for participation for the elderly, disengaged and newcomers.
- elevates underutilized or neglected land to a higher purpose.
- strengthens the connections amongst neighbors and help neighbors bridge differences.
- can serve as living classrooms to educate children, about gardening, local food supply and the environment.
- creates opportunities for interaction amongst the generations.
- can help people engage as active participants in community problem solving.
- makes people feel more vested in their home, their street, their neighborhood.
- can help make the conversation about local food issues accessible to everyone in the community.
