Newkirk Community Garden Rules

Welcome to the Newkirk Community Garden. This is a growing space for everyone in our neighborhood to enjoy. We have benches for people to sit and talk together while enjoying the garden of flowers and native plants. We have planters with organic soil for gardeners to grow herbs, flowers, and food.

Around twelve people standing around and talking inside the garden, near the gate.

We want everyone’s time in the garden to be enjoyable and safe. These rules are a framework for how we can respect each other and respect the space.

The garden’s steering committee makes sure everyone follows the rules and helps make decisions for the garden. If needed, the steering committee will help solve any problems that may come up between gardeners or community members.

General Garden Rules

The garden should be a safe place for the community, children, and other gardeners. Do not bring any tools into the garden without permission.
Teach your children to respect the garden. Do not pick the plants or flowers.
Clean and return all tools to the shed.
Compost bins are for leaves and plants from the garden only. No garbage or food in the bins.
Never use any herbicides (weedkillers) or pesticides in the garden.
No smoking, alcohol, or drug use in the garden.
Do not remove or cut any tree or shrub without the approval of the steering committee.
All dogs must be leashed.
All Gardeners, members and Volunteers need to sign a release form.
No loud noises.
The last gardener/member leaving must lock the shed and garden.
Please sign in and sign out when you are in the garden.

Participation levels and requirements

Visitors

Any individual is welcome to stop by during open hours.

May enjoy the garden, participate in events, giveaways, etc.
May not handle tools or work in the garden

Volunteers

Anyone who comes to the garden to volunteer, and signs a release form.

Please consider joining the NCG WhatsApp group

Members

Upon completing 8 hours of volunteer time, any volunteer is eligible to become a member of the garden! Members have 24/7 access to the garden and limited harvesting privileges.

Members must:

Complete a brief orientation and training with a garden member
Complete the member registration form sent to you after your orientation
Pay the $30 annual membership fee (this can be waived if necessary)
Join the NCG WhatsApp group or have another way of maintaining contact with other members
Host scheduled open hours at least two hours a month, Saturday and Sunday 11AM-2PM
Welcome visitors, answer questions, help with general garden maintenance

Gardeners

Any member can also become a gardener - a member who is assigned their own planting space - if space is available. Gardeners must fulfill all the responsibilities of a member, and in addition must:

Pay an additional annual $25 gardening fee, to cover seeds, plants, supplies, etc. (this can be waived if necessary)
Actively maintain your plot throughout the season, including regular watering (especially in the summer). If you will be unavailable at any point, please arrange for another gardener or member to help during that time.
Plant only in your assigned plot, and do not leave additional pots or planters in the garden.