Things to Consider When Starting A Community Garden

Community Garden at SeaMar in Marysville

Our Community Conservation Team is often asked what it takes to start a community garden. To help people understand the set up and ongoing maintenance, we have created this post to guide you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Joe Crumbley on our team with any questions at jcrumbley@snohomishcd.org or by phone at 425-377-7028.

Vision/Purpose

Discuss the purpose with the group involved, and who it will be serving.

Organizational Leadership and Structure

Consider organizational structure with the participants, including the project management, and making future decisions.

Maintenance and participation

Make concrete and clear standards of maintaining the garden over time, for the communal and individual level.

Communication

Long term success includes inclusion in the decision making process. This means a group should agree on the methods and processes used, ensuring all stakeholders and participants can easily communicate over time.

Conflict resolution

Create a plan for handling conflict so that differences of opinion can be handled in a way that supports and sustains the group.

Group processes

Establish procedures required to manage administrative processes. This can include management of money, raising funds through grants, access to water, insurance, and maintaining relationships with neighbors.

Resources:

Harvest Pierce County - supported by the Pierce Conservation District - has a downloadable template for a charter document for a community garden.

Want to test the waters? Join an existing garden! View list from WSU’s Growing Groceries.