Cultivating Community: How Gardening Tackles Food Insecurity in New Hampshire

In a state where one in ten residents struggles with consistent access to nutritious food, a growing movement of community gardeners is taking matters into their own hands. This article explores how individuals and organizations are using gardening as a powerful tool to address food insecurity and foster community resilience across the Granite State.

Empowering Individuals, Strengthening Communities

Turning Adversity into Opportunity

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains and left store shelves bare, Deborah Eckland of Concord found herself facing a daunting reality. "When I walked in and the shelves were empty, that freaked me out," the 64-year-old recalled. Determined to ensure her own food security, Eckland turned to gardening, transforming a small plot between her apartment buildings into a thriving oasis of fresh produce. By leveraging her SNAP benefits to purchase starter plants, Eckland was able to cut her food expenses in half, canning her bountiful harvest of green tomatoes.

Cultivating Cultural Connections

For Suk Rai and his wife Bhima, who immigrated to Concord from Nepal in 2011, gardening has been a vital link to their cultural heritage. Unable to find the familiar Nepali produce in local grocery stores, the couple joined the Sycamore Community Garden, where they now grow vegetables like ishkush, a type of squash. "This is a good vegetable in our country," Rai explained, describing how they can boil or fry the vegetable to enjoy with rice. Beyond just providing access to culturally relevant foods, Rai's garden plot has also connected him with a diverse community of gardeners, forging new friendships and cross-cultural exchanges.

Addressing Systemic Challenges

While backyard and community gardening offer valuable benefits, Justin Munroe, the co-executive director of Grow Nashua, cautions that these efforts alone cannot solve the complex issue of food insecurity. "The number of pounds that you can actually grow doesn't really match up very well with the amount of pounds of veggies that a family needs to eat," Munroe explained. Factors like high rents and inflation are driving food insecurity in the region, and Munroe believes that individual solutions must be accompanied by broader, systemic change.

Bridging the Gap with Fresh Produce

To address the immediate need for fresh, nutritious food, Grow Nashua has launched the "Lil' Free Veggie Truck," a mobile distribution service that provides free, locally-grown produce to low-income residents seven days a week during the growing season. Munroe has observed that some recipients are unfamiliar with the taste of these high-quality, locally-sourced foods, but their enthusiasm is palpable. "People are thrilled with the produce and they say, 'Where did you get this? This is so good,'" he shared. "That's one of the things about food access is that the quality of food matters."

Cultivating Holistic Benefits

While gardening may not be a complete solution to food insecurity, it offers a range of holistic benefits that extend beyond just providing sustenance. Suk Rai's experience highlights the social and cultural connections that can blossom in community garden spaces, where gardeners from diverse backgrounds share seeds, techniques, and a sense of belonging. Moreover, the environmental and physical health advantages of gardening cannot be overlooked, as individuals and communities work to build a more resilient and equitable food system.As the challenges of food insecurity continue to impact communities across New Hampshire, the stories of Deborah Eckland, Suk Rai, and the Grow Nashua initiative demonstrate the power of grassroots gardening to empower individuals, strengthen communities, and cultivate a more sustainable and inclusive future.