Community gardens could do more than save participants money through a program being developed by the Muskogee Wellness Initiative.

The Muskogee Wellness Initiative started developing the idea in fall and now plans a public meeting. Muskogee gardeners of all experience levels are invited to share their ideas for developing community gardens at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Muskogee Public Library Grant Foreman Room.

Jane Jones with the Muskogee County Health Department said there are several goals they hope to achieve.

“One is to increase access to fruits and vegetables that are healthy and nutritious,” she said. “If you grow your own, your tendency is to eat and enjoy them more. Second, there are economic reasons. People have access to fruits and vegetables at a lesser burden financially.”

Jones said one of the topics to be discussed at the meeting is how community gardens could be managed.

“It could be a group of neighbors getting together and using a portion of someone’s yard,” she said. “It could be a church using a piece of their property. There are a variety of options.”

At the meeting, aspiring gardeners will hear success stories from other communities, share their thoughts on starting gardens in Muskogee neighborhoods and learn about training opportunities. The meeting is sponsored by the nutrition work group of the Muskogee Wellness Initiative.

“One of the things the initiative is looking at is bringing communities and neighbors together to work on this for the health of everyone,” Jones said. “It may be a specific neighborhood that decides they want to take this on. The wellness initiative wants to provide the technical support and help them identify resources.”

Jones said no specific source of funding is being considered now, and the MWI will look to the community to identify possible sources. Doug Walton, Muskogee Farmer’s Market Association president, will help interested groups find additional funding if they need it.

If you go

WHAT: Community gardens meeting.

WHERE: Grant Foreman Room, Muskogee Public Library, 801 W. Okmulgee Ave.