Dear everyone, I know i can always count on this listserver for brilliant answers, so here goes. I am in the process of finishing a dissertation on community gardens, and am trying to come up with an intelligent but simple explanation of what distinguishes a community garden from a European allotment. Some distinctions that I have read suggest that the difference is that allotments are individual parcels and community gardens are not, but I know that that isn't at all accurate, either. There's no distinctive socioeconomic group that either serves more than the other, as far as I know, and European allotment gardens often function as social centers or to help new immigrants become part of their new home just the way community gardens do.
I know that allotment gardens are more government-supported and less of a bottom-up grassroots effort than community gardens, which is a subtle difference but the only really consistent distinction I can figure out. I would be very grateful for anyone's insights. Is the government's role the only real difference? Or should they be considered two different entities, or one a subtype of the other? thank you so much. best, Kristin Faurest, Budapest ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

