Planting Seeds: How a Community Garden Can Grow More Than Just Plants
Date: Apr 22, 2025
Author: Rachel @ Shir Hadash
Planting a seed might seem like a small act, but it can lead to big things—especially when a whole community gets involved. Starting a community garden isn’t just about growing vegetables or flowers. It’s about growing friendships, pride, and a sense of belonging. It’s about planting seeds in more ways than one.
Men's Club Garden Work Day:
Think about it: a garden gives people a reason to come together. In neighborhoods where folks don’t always know each other, it creates a space to connect. Neighbors can swap gardening tips, share extra tomatoes, or just chat while pulling weeds. Before you know it, the garden becomes more than a patch of dirt.
Mitzvah Day Garden Project:
Our little garden has brought together so many people and organizations- our Preschool (SHECC), Juniper Tree Education, youth in our Kulanu Learning, the Shir Hadash Mens’ Club, the Morris Adler BBYO, a Mitzvah Day team, and a member of the Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos. Each has played a part in our project so far. Visit our garden and watch for more updates!
We started with a clean up day, removing old furniture and garbage and leveling the ground. Our fig tree has been adopted for care and harvesting, our outdoor classroom has new wood chips, there are vegetable beds growing, and the ground for the butterfly garden has been turned. There are beautiful impatiens in the front planters by the Education Building. We have plans for so much more- a sunflower forest, a refurbish of the herb beds, and an earth oven workshop.
In the meantime, come lend a hand or bring a group- plant a seed of friendship, of pride, and sense of belonging.There’s still plenty to do! Contact me at rachel@shirhadash.org if you want to come help!
