About the Garden
The St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Community Garden was founded in 2005 to create a space where people can participate in planting, growing, & harvesting their own food. Award winning and internationally recognized, this is not your typical college campus community garden. Rather, this garden is collectively planned, planted, tended, and harvested by a large group of community and campus volunteers. The space is open to anyone—there are no individual plots, no fees, and no fences. Anyone who contributes to the work is entitled to their share of the harvest. During the 2020 and 2021 pandemic seasons, we were fortunate to continue to operate, providing an opportunity for access to food and community interaction despite restrictions resulting from COVID-19. Each season, over 50 individuals and families participated and benefited in numerous ways as the garden served as a space to cultivate the following community benefits, all of which were essential in this pandemic environment: #1: Trust: The garden operates without any fences and fees and with very minimal rules. Put simply, the garden is a space where we have faith in people. #2: Inclusion: Anyone who enters belongs, and all who contribute to the work benefit. We have no hierarchy, no experts. The only credential that matters is if you contribute to the growth of food and community. The food grown is as diverse as the community we live in…from asparagus to bitter melon, collard greens to okra, pigeon peas to tomatoes. The intent is for anyone who comes into the garden to feel that they belong. #3: Care: The garden is a haven for people of all walks of life to communally build something together that is personally and collectively beneficial. It has become a place where people come to mourn and be comforted, to share their experiences and struggles and be supported, and to celebrate life events with others in their community.
Donations are applied to...
In addition to funding the ongoing operation of the garden (purchasing seeds and other supplies), funds are sought for a new development and expansion of the garden: the installation of an outdoor shelter in the lot adjacent to our existing community garden during the Spring and Summer of 2022. The shelter would serve multiple functions and will provide a great new gathering space for all members of the community.
From the Garden Director
Your support means a great deal to the garden and to the gardeners. Rest assured, your investment will result in a bountiful harvest!
The Need for Seed Money
The St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Community Garden is a small, non-profit organization that has been in the business of growing food and community since 2005. Although affiliated with St. Cloud State University, our funds derive primarily from sales of our garden products at area farmer’s markets and fundraising opportunities like this. In fact, the garden recently received a generous gift that will provide matching funds for the first $5,000 donated. Give early (and often!) and your gift will go twice as far!!