About Community Gardens & Co-Gardening
Community Gardens fill a variety of purposes offering land for those without access to it, opportunities for companionable gardening, sharing the work and produce and, optionally, giving back to the community.
Gardens can take a variety of forms from individual plots on an apartment rooftop to communal efforts that offer much of the crop to food banks. We can offer agricultural, organizational, technical & logistical support for the the formative process and ongoing operations of these gardens.
Please drop an email to Claire at Gardens@IncredEdMidPen.org or complete the Community Gardening Survey if you would like to be a gardener OR you know of an organization or individual with property that they are open to becoming a community garden.
Though most community gardens have long waiting lists, it’s never too late to sign up or volunteer. Here’s the list of existing Community Gardens in San Mateo County.
Gardening in Redwood City public spaces not currently in the cards
March 2022
Incredible Edible has been in conversation with Redwood City Parks and Rec since our founding but currently, aside from the Community Orchard at Red Morton, there is neither the space nor funding for necessary oversight staff for public gardens.
The desired average park area for cities is 3 acres per 1,000 residents. Redwood City is currently at 2.25 acres per 1,000 residents. Though there has been a recent donation of 2 acres adjacent to Garrett Park and the city recently purchased the land at Red Morton on which the Armory previously owned, these are not located near where residents most need parks and gardens.
Despite potential gardeners good intentions, absenteeism, failure to attend work days and a multitude of other inconsistencies result in unattractive community gardens that staff and residents complain about. Effective public gardens require paid managers and the funding is currently not available.
Co-Gardening
March 2022
Co-gardening is a one-on-one match up. Produce may be shared with the host or donated to an organization. Those with gardening space may lack time or health to maintain a garden or they may seek a like-minded companion and second opinion in the garden. Would-be gardeners lack sunny, arable land and may prefer a private vs community form of gardening.
The Villages of San Mateo County offers the Each Green Corner program that matches, gardeners, landowners and landscapers to combat food insecurity in our communities
If you are interested in participating in the San Carlos-Redwood City-Menlo Park area, please fill out the following form for a potential match.
Green Beginnings Garden at Kainos
February 2022
We had a wonderful run at the garden but members have moved on to different phases in their lives. Kainos is open to others gardening in the space and sharing some of the produce. If this is of interest to you, please contact Claire at Gardens@IncredEdMidPen.org
July 2021
Kainos, a home and training center serving adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in southern San Mateo & northern Santa Clara counties, maintains a residence for high functioning young men on Jefferson Ave, near John Gill School in Redwood City. The property has a large back yard with several fruit trees, a composter and several raised beds.
Staff didn’t have the resources to manage the garden but in early 2018 invited us to help to form a garden there. Lynette stepped up as General Manager, Sarah as Volunteer Coordinator and Sadullah as Garden Manager and a communal style garden is up and running. There are currently six gardeners but there is room and work for 2-3 more. Gardeners should be open to the residents participating in garden chores (subject to COVID-19 restrictions) and produce is shared with the residents and the wider Kainos community. If you been waiting for this chance to dig into the dirt, complete the Community Gardening Survey and indicate your interest in the Kainos garden in the Comments section
Whole Foods Redwood City Community Garden
July 2021
Carol & Brenda welcome those who are interested in keeping the Whole Foods garden healthy and productive. Contact us or talk to them when they are there.
August 2018 Whole Foods Community Garden Update
The Whole Foods vegetable garden at Jefferson & Adams is growing beautifully. Tomatoes & strawberries are ready to pick.Please visit the garden and help yourself to a few! The Mural and Community Garden were dedicated on November 6, 2017. Learn more about the Whole Foods garden story and activities.
Mapping Community Gardens in San Mateo County & the San Francisco Bay Area
September 2022
University of California Cooperative Extension’s (UCCE) Bay Area Urban Ag & Food Systems Program Map highlight the Bay Area’s diverse urban ag efforts!
This online tool supports local urban agriculture groups and sites in the region, while fostering connections among growers and interested community members. Share the joy with friends around the Bay Area.
Broadway Plaza
November 2017, Broadway Plaza Planning hopes to include Community Gardens & Orchard
Thursday Claire Felong and Carol Cross were excited to talk again with Peter Tsai, VP of Real Estate Development & Michael You, Assistant Development Manager, of the extensive Sobrato Broadway Plaza project at Broadway and Woodside Roads in Redwood City. Covering almost 6 acres it is a mixed-use project of 400 market-rate residential units, 120 affordable residential units, office and retail space. In their initial April requests in for community input we suggested rooftop gardens, less hardscape, community gardens and pollinator plants. Along with input from many others, they revised and recontacted us about the garden elements. They’ve identified sou
th facing common areas in both the affordable housing and market rate apartments that would work for gardens and we discussed about how fruit trees and pollinator plants could be incorporated into common areas throughout the development. We are looking forward to working with staff on the details of developing and managing the gardens when the apartments are under construction in preparation for new gardeners.
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