Rose City Community Garden

Artist's rendition of the finished garden

2010-04-30T17:22:00.005-04:00

Garden Work Day Marathon!

2009-11-07T11:27:00.005-05:00

Before the weather starts getting REALLY cold, we're having a Garden Work Day Marathon! Since Thursday, volunteers have been working every day at the garden. Marathon continues through **MONDAY**.

See what we've been working on! Photos are on Facebook

Call Sean 860.705.1390 to see what still needs to be done, or just stop by the garden at 11 Mechanic Street!

Also, we are planning a Garlic Festival/Pesto Party for the spring! Start getting excited :)

Our first raised bed is in!

2009-07-26T12:45:00.003-04:00

A beautiful day brought a great turnout for our latest work day at the garden! We got our first raised bed in the ground, make out of recycled pallets. What a feeling to see the property coming together! Thanks to everyone for coming out!

2009-07-23T16:13:00.002-04:00

Work Day - Sat. July 25

2009-07-19T21:32:00.001-04:00

Come join us for good times and dirty hands! We are continuing torevitalize the property and build raised beds for planting.

Saturday, July 25th from 1-5pm. We will reschedule if it rains.

Bring what you can: Water and snacks, work gloves, garden tools (shovels, rakes, etc.), sunshine

We are rehabilitating an old property. There are a few patches of poison ivy that we will point out, and there is a bit of broken glass. Please dress accordingly.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

See you soon!

Holistic Moms Network Open House

2009-07-19T18:00:00.003-04:00

The Rose City Community Garden was invited to do a presentation today for the Holistic Moms Network. A beautiful day at Mohegan Park! Great company, fine food, raffles, tons of great info on health and childcare; We had a blast! Many thanks to the Norwich Holistic Moms for having us! Check out there group in our links!

Another great work day!

2009-07-15T10:38:00.002-04:00

Another wave of new friends joined us this past weekend for our second Rose City Community Garden Work Day. Although it was the same weekend as Sailfest, we had a great turnout. We marked, dug, and leveled 5 plots in preparation for raised beds! A few folks brought extra tools to share. and there were even some blueberries fresh from a local Farmer's Market. Good times, good times. You can't stop progress! Thanks again for all the teamwork, and we'll see y'all soon!

Work Day - Sat. July 11

2009-07-04T21:16:00.002-04:00

Come join us for good times and dirty hands! We are continuing to revitalize the property and build raised beds for planting.

Saturday, July 11th from 1-5pm. We will reschedule if it rains.

Bring what you can: Water and snacks, work gloves, garden tools (shovels, rakes, etc.), sunshine

We are rehabilitating an old property. There are a few patches of poison ivy that we will point out, and there is a bit of broken glass. Please dress accordingly.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

See you soon!

We're breaking ground!

2009-07-01T10:58:00.011-04:00

We had our first work party and it was a huge success! Thanks to all the folks who made it out to the garden and got their hands dirty with us! Adults and kids alike came to help pull weeds, clear brush, trim, plant, and even rebuild a beautiful stone wall! We had a lot of fun and got a lot done. Come join us for the next work party or drop a line to get involved! See you soon!

Wish List

2009-06-03T22:26:00.002-04:00

We are in need of tools and materials! As a non-profit organization, everything we do is made possible by our community and their generosity. Any donation, no matter how big or small, is greatly appreciated.

But wait, there's more- as a non-profit, your donations are tax deductible! Please contact us to set up donations or if you have any questions.

R.C.C.G. Wish List-

-Benches

-Tools

Shovels

Hoes

Rakes

Pitch forks

Trowels

Gloves

-Sunshine

-Wheelbarrow

-Plants/Seeds

-Top soil (organic)

-Shed

-Fencing

-Your labor. Come join us for a work day! Bring lunch and come dig in!

-$$$ - yeah, I know. Don't we all?

-Homemade hummus and bread

All donations are tax deductible.

Mission Statement

2009-06-03T22:10:00.004-04:00

Wish you had the land to grow vegetables?

The Rose City Community Garden wants to help!

We are offering garden plots on Mechanic Street near

West Main Street for you to grow food locally.

We are an organic community space in the heart of the

West Side of Norwich.

Our mission is to:

- offer garden space to the people of Norwich

- become an educational resource for students, schools, and

our community

- provide an opportunity to get to know your neighbors

- grow extra food to give to local food banks and soup kitchens

- expand and improve Norwich’s green spaces

- be an inspiration for a healthier community

You can help transfrom Norwich! By working together, using recycled materials, learning and teaching, you will be improving your health and your community!

This garden is made possible by the Rose City Community

Land Trust, a non-profit that works to offer affordable housing

in Norwich, Bully-Busters, and by generous support from our community

and local businesses.

F.A.Q.s - Frequently Asked Questions

2009-05-26T19:12:00.005-04:00

What is a community garden all about?
We are groups of individuals and families of diverse backgrounds who choose to garden together. We welcome people of all cultures, speaking all languages, making any kind of income, with little or a lot of gardening experience. Each household gets a garden plot to tend and contributes some volunteer hours to help run the garden. Gardeners collect fees, maintain paths, mow, hold meetings, elect chairs, and divide all tasks among us. The garden has no paid staff people, so we all pitch in by volunteering for different tasks.

How big are plots?
The vegetable plots are 3 ft by 10 ft. Flower plots are available in differing sizes.

What do I get when I sign up?

A plot of approximately 3'x10' for your use during the season.
Use of a few shared common tools, and some free seeds and plants.
Access to city compost which is delivered at least once per season.
Access to water.
A supportive environment for learning about gardening and meeting neighbors!

How much does it cost?
Payment for plots is based on a sliding scale. The cost ranges from $10 to $25, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds. These dues pay for tools, hoses, water, etc.

What extra things can I purchase?
Some gardens invite gardeners to buy bales of straw or hay for mulch at wholesale cost during Spring Registration events. See separate sheets for why you might want these.

Are the gardens organic?
Yes!

What is organic gardening?

The short answer is that organic gardening means not using synthetic products, including pesticides and fertilizers. No herbicides (like Round-Up) are ever allowed in the gardens. If you are unsure about a particular product, contact the garden coordinator for the garden to find out if you can use it. Ideally, organic gardening replenishes the resources as the plants make use of them. Like feeding depleted soil with composted plants, or planting legumes to add nitrogen to an area that had been planted with a heavy feeder. The bigger picture involves working in cooperation with nature, viewing your garden as a small part of all the natural system. Visit our links to learn more about organic gardening.

What about people who have never gardened before?
One of the greatest benefits of community gardening is learning from other gardeners. The most important thing is to ask for help and suggestions from your fellow gardeners. It's a lot of fun! Experienced gardeners are usually quite glad to share their knowledge and skills with gardening novices. Flatter experienced gardeners with your questions! Also, check out the public library for hundreds of books on how to garden. We particularly recommend the "Wisconsin Garden Guide" written by Madison resident Jerry Minnich. Visit our links to learn more.

How much time does it take?
Gardening is fun, but it's also hard work. You have to weed, harvest, and maintain your plot. If you are going to be out of town for an extended period, you'll have to arrange for someone to tend your plot. Gardening also demands more time at different points in the season than others. If you don't think you can tend to your plot twice a week, consider sharing with someone else.

Once I have a plot, what do I have to do?

Be a good neighbor by following the rules and maintaining your plot.
Perform the required hours of voluntary-service for your garden.
Enjoy the garden and the community of gardeners!

What about theft?
All the gardens experience at least a little theft or vandalism. Gardeners have found that theft diminished with signs and outreach to neighbors to tell them about the garden and invite them to get plots. Fences can also help.