The social and economic benefits of entrepreneurial urban gardens to communities in Northern and Southern California are being assessed by UC Davis researchers.Their case studies include the San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners youth farm and Urban Herbals projects, and the Los Angeles "Food from the Hood" project."These gardens have a stated economic development goal. Urban gardeners in low-income neighborhoods are trying to market fresh fruits and vegetables directly, or process them and sell them in jams or herbal salad dressings," says Gail Feenstra, a nutritionist and food systems analyst with the UC Davis-based UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.One of the important byproducts of the gardens is job training, according to David Campbell, director of the new UC Davis-based California Communities Program. "These garden projects create jobs, particularly for young people, in horticulture, food processing and other areas," he said.