How Does Your Garden Grow? Development of a Calculator to Evaluate the Economic and Dietary Impact of Edible Gardens

Sofia O. Sanchez, Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn UniversityFollow
Katie Funderburk, Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn UniversityFollow
Erin Reznicek, Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn UniversityFollow
Sondra M. Parmer, Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn UniversityFollow

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Abstract

Edible gardens can increase fruit and vegetable availability and access. Weighing produce is a method to evaluate gardens, however there are limited methods that translate garden yields to dietary yields and that document Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) garden yields. We developed a Garden Harvest Calculator to evaluate edible garden economic and dietary impact. Over three spring-to-summer growing seasons, 12 – 18 gardens produced 6,499 pounds of produce worth $11,606.95. This equates to 24,922 cups, enough for 4,984 adults to meet dietary recommendations. SNAP-Ed supported gardens may positively contribute to dietary needs while reducing barriers to food access.

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Recommended Citation

Sanchez, S. O., Funderburk, K., Reznicek, E., & Parmer, S. M. (2024). How Does Your Garden Grow? Development of a Calculator to Evaluate the Economic and Dietary Impact of Edible Gardens. Journal of Extension, 62(3), Article 8. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.62.03.08

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