You know, community gardens are something that I think are pretty cool. Unfortunately I have never had the chance to participate in one, but I still think that they are a great idea and a cool way to bring people together in a community while offering up a way for people to maybe grow some food or just get creative and maybe grow some cool flowers or something like that. Well, apparently the company Fiskars thinks that community gardens are pretty cool also. In fact, back in 2003 they started something called Project Orange Thumb. Basically, Project Orange Thumb is a grant program that is awarded to 10 groups to help them to develop and build a community garden in their area. It helps the groups put by giving them the tools and materials that they need for the community garden. This year was the 5th year of Project Orange Thumb and the winners have just been announced. The groups that were picked really excel at using gardening as a tool of self expression and creativity. I really like Benton County’s First Rain Garden.

Winners of the Project Orange Thumb grant get up to $1500 of Fiskars gardening tools, up to $800 for other materials needed like seeds and what not. And they also get some free Project Orange Thumb t-shirts for all of the members of the group to wear while the are gardening.