The simple act of planting a garden can have big impacts -- from building a more diverse and resilient local food system to empowering communities to address issues like nutrition access and climate change.
Starting at USDA’s National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and expanding to our 17 urban hubs across the nation and beyond, People’s Gardens will engage the community to:
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Grow fresh, healthy food and support a resilient, local food system.
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Teach people how to garden using sustainable practices.
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Nurture habitat for pollinators and wildlife, and greenspace for neighbors to gather and enjoy.
Learn more about USDA assistance for urban farms and gardens.
- Get Involved with People’s Gardens
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- Learn more about how we define People’s Gardens, and see what’s growing in Washington, D.C. and our 17 Urban Hubs.
- Start or support a food hub and resilient, local food system in your community.
- Contact us to volunteer!
- Gardening Guidance
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- Start your own urban farm or garden, food forest, or even in a container in a small space like a balcony.
- Check out our VegU videos for gardening tips and tricks.
- Learn about pollinators and honeybees, integrated pest management and native plants.
- Mulching and cover crops can help with soil health, the foundation of any garden.
- Food Access and Food Waste
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- Learn about food access challenges and solutions, like urban gardening and local food systems.
- Fight food waste and learn about composting, and eating “root to stem” to reduce the amount of food going into landfills.
All gardens located on federal property will donate food to local communities.
The People’s Garden for the People’s Department
The People’s Garden was named in honor of USDA’s founder, President Abraham Lincoln, who described USDA as “The People’s Department.” The first People’s Garden at USDA headquarters was started by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on February 12, 2009 – Lincoln’s 200th birthday.
"…the most valuable of all arts will be the art of deriving a comfortable subsistence from the smallest area of soil."
– Abraham Lincoln
Did You Know?
'Abraham Lincoln' is an heirloom variety of tomato named after the President in 1923 by the W. H. Buckbee seed company of Rockford, Illinois. It is one of the great tomato classics and excellent for making tomato juice, ketchup and slicing.