Food Gardeners' Productivity in Laramie, Wyoming: More Than a Hobby.

Abstract

We quantified the productivity of food gardens in Laramie, Wyoming, over 3 growing seasons. From 2012 to 2014, 33 participating gardening households weighed and recorded each harvest. Academic partners measured plot sizes and converted reported harvest weights to volume in cups. The yield of the average 253-square-foot plot was enough to supply an adult with the daily US Department of Agriculture-recommended amount of vegetables for 9 months. Gardeners produced nutritionally meaningful quantities of food; thus, food gardening offers promise as an effective public health intervention for improving food security and nutritional health.