FRESH Through the Years
Newest Community Garden:
Calkins Park
At Saturday’s Site Walk, 24 plots were laid out & half were snapped up immediately!
To Sign Up for one of the remaining plots:
Send an email to:
calkinsparkgarden@gmail.com
Join our Google Group:
Calkins Park Garden
Community Gardening @ FRESH
FRESH supports community gardens and gardening initiatives throughout New London County. We believe that Community Gardens serve to strengthen community and develop leadership, improve individual and community nutrition, provide experiential educational opportunities and develop a sense of place and stewardship of the environment.
FRESH manages community gardens in New London, including our urban hub – the FRESH Community Garden Center, as well as works with partners throughout the region on community garden efforts. We offer support, guidance and identification of resources to any local groups interested in starting new educational or community gardens.
If you are interested in becoming a community garden, getting a new garden started in your community, teaching a workshop or volunteering –
Contact Us!
FRESH Community Garden Center (CGC)
The FRESH Community Garden Center has been growing since May 2007. The CGC serves as FRESH’s primary urban location for Education, Community Gardening and Celebrations. The site includes sixty raised beds for Community Gardeners, as well as 45 raised beds used by the FRESH Educational Program. In 2010, a permanent pavilion was constructed to shelter our regular Workshops, outdoor Classes, Potlucks and other Community Events. The CGC also houses a wood-fired Pizza Oven built by community members and a Children’s Wild Space play area. Please see our calendar for upcoming events at the CGC (April – November), as well as regularly scheduled work days.
History of the CGC:
In early 2007 FRESH youth and adult staff together identified our need for a high profile, downtown New London garden to serve as FRESH’s home base. A city-owned site was identified across the street from the largest elementary school in New London (Jennings Elementary and caddy-corner from the only public Middle School in town. The FRESH Youth Crew led presentations of the project to the Neighborhood Alliance, the Parks Commission, the New London Senior Center, and finally to New London City Council. Ultimately we were given permission to establish the FRESH Community Garden Center (CGC). The hands of hundreds of community volunteers, staff and Youth Crew members have built and continue to transform this site from what was in 2007 a derelict and dangerous vacant lot into a vital and beautiful community space!
The Food Center Community Garden
In 2009, FRESH transformed its demonstration garden located at the Gemma E. Moran/United Way Labor Food Center into a new community garden, to accommodate the growing interest in gardening. 15 gardeners are growing food for themselves, their families and the community.
Other Gardening Initiatives
FRESH is working with the New London Public Schools to develop a new Educational Garden at the Winthrop School for the 2010 season. Long-term visions include educational gardens at each New London Public School.
FRESH is working with the TVCCA-led Community Harvest Initiative of New London County to promote and grow community gardens throughout the county. This partnership builds upon our long-time efforts to support and be a resource for any group working on community gardening projects.