How to get into the hottest clubs in L.A. County — community gardens

Ana Miguel, 45, left, with husband Guadalupe “Lupe” Martinez, 40, maintain their plot at the Stanford-Avalon Community Garden in South L.A. About 100 community gardens exist in Los Angeles County, according to the L.A. Community Garden Council, with thousands more around the U.S. A North Carolina State University Agriculture College podcast estimated that “the average community garden generates 20 servings of fresh produce per 11 square feet and can lower household food security concerns by 90%.” Community gardens can be traced back to “potato patch farms in Michigan in the midst of the recession of 1894,” according to an article in the MIT Press Reader. Diana Campos Jimenez, until recently the director of the L.A. Community Garden Council, said some gardens offer classes to “practice composting, practice growing seedlings, get educational workshops.” These classes inspire people of all ages to care for their environment and better understand the science behind the plant life cycle. According to a study by the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, “Adults with a household member who participated in a community garden consumed fruits and vegetables 1.4 more times per day than those who did not participate.” They also encourage exercise, the L.A. Garden Community Council website says: “Being active in the outdoors is a wonderful way to help avoid being sedentary, which is a major contributor to obesity.” Financial benefits Community gardens improve the property values of surrounding land because they beautify the area, the L.A. Community Garden Council said. It was beneficial to people to get out of their homes for their mental health, social skills and oftentimes you see children developing motor skills and social skills as well.” Cruz also mentioned training that some gardens offer: “We do a lot of de-escalation, conflict resolution, financial training and leadership development.” The L.A. Community Garden Council website says that members “foster a sense of ownership and begin to feel more personally invested in their neighborhood.” How to join a community garden How do you find one to join?