TY - JOUR AU - Algert, Susan AU - Diekmann, Lucy AU - Renvall, Marian AU - Gray, Leslie TI - Community and home gardens increase vegetable intake and food security of residents in San Jose, California JF - California Agriculture JO - Calif Agr Y1 - 2016/04/01 VL - 70 IS - 2 SP - 77 EP - 82 PB - University of California Agriculture and Nature Resources SN - 0008-0845 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3733/ca.v070n02p77 L3 - 10.3733/ca.v070n02p77 AB - As of 2013, 42 million American households were involved in growing their own food either at home or in a community garden plot. The purpose of this pilot study was to document the extent to which gardeners, particularly less affluent ones, increase their vegetable intake when eating from either home or community garden spaces. Eighty-five community gardeners and 50 home gardeners from San Jose, California, completed a survey providing information on demographic background, self-rated health, vegetable intake and the benefits of gardening. The gardeners surveyed were generally low income and came from a variety of ethnic and educational backgrounds. Participants in this study reported doubling their vegetable intake to a level that met the number of daily servings recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Growing food in community and home gardens can contribute to food security by helping provide access to fresh vegetables and increasing consumption of vegetables by gardeners and their families.