The planting season is in full swing, Wolff said, and master gardeners through Penn State Cooperative Extension offices are on hand to guide people toward what crops grow best in each season.

Similar community garden projects are beginning all over the nation, from Manhattan to rural areas like Selinsgrove, Wolff said.

Because not everyone has the space to plant a garden, community gardens are becoming more popular and widely available, particularly in urban and suburban areas, the Department of Agriculture reports.

"Recently, there has been an increased interest in home gardening as consumers are trying to stretch their dollars," Wolff said. "Growing your own food is a great way to cut costs, and local gardens decrease the distance food travels from farm to fork, reducing carbon emissions and providing a nutrient-rich source of fresh fruits and vegetables."

On average, a food product travels about 1,800 miles before it reaches its final destination, said Doug Wolfgang, with the Bureau of Farmland Preservation.

"It's a classroom for urban residents to learn where their food comes from," Wolfgang said.

"We also encourage gardeners to share their bounty by planting an extra row to donate to those with limited access to fresh produce through a local food bank," Wolff said.

The Selinsgrove Community Gardens is located on a seven-acre parcel of the state Agriculture Department's 223-acre farm, once owned by the Selinsgrove Center.

"I am more than happy to be a part of it," Snyder County Commissioner Richard "Bud" Bickhart said. "It's a great project. I am looking forward to it coming to fruition."

The proximity to East Snyder Park and Grayson View Assisted Living should result in continued interest and participation in the project, Bickhart said.

The project is a partnership between the Agriculture Department, Penn State Cooperative Extension master gardeners, the Susquehanna River Coalition and Susquehanna and Bucknell universities.

In addition to the actual gardening space, the Agriculture Department plans to create a stone gravel parking area, and to soon make water available through hydrants.