2024 Update
Because PFAS/PFOS contamination has been found in our soil, we have dedicated much of our garden space to native perennials to benefit pollinators. Starting 2024 we have reduced the size of our garden and planted grass in much of the area behind the deck to make the area more manageable. We are also always looking for people to get involved so join our facebook group below.
Our community garden facebook group is the best way to stay updated!
If you don’t use facebook, please fill out the form linked below or send us an email and we will try to keep you updated by e-mail as well!
Fill out this google form and we will put you on our e-mail announcement list!
2021 Update
2021 our garden was awarded another grant from the City of Lansing for 1,237.84 in order to help revive the garden space. Last year we added a deck area with seating, perennial and native pollinator habitats and a raised, handicap accessible beds with fresh soil not contaminated with PFAS/PFOS. This year we hope to continue adding more accessible beds for growing food, some educational signage, an entry arch, and a compost bin. We are always open to ideas, so please contact us if you want to help out!
Our community garden facebook group is the best way to stay updated!
If you don’t use facebook, please fill out the form linked below or send us an email and we will try to keep you updated by e-mail as well!
Fill out this google form and we will put you on our e-mail announcement list!
2020 – Garden Budget and Balance Sheet
2020 Update
Our community garden was recently awarded a grant from the City of Lansing for 2,668.33 in order to help revive the garden space. Our current plans include a small orchard area, perennial and native pollinator habitats, a boardwalk with seating area, and raised, handicap accessible beds with fresh soil not contaminated with PFAS/PFOS. We are always also open to new ideas and input!
Our community garden facebook group is the best way to stay updated!
If you don’t use facebook, please fill out the form linked below or send us an email and we will try to keep you updated by e-mail as well!
Fill out this google form and we will put you on our e-mail announcement list!
Garden Budget and Balance Sheet
The Old Oakland Neighborhood Association is looking to make some major changes to the garden for the next year. View our grant proposal below. Want to get involved? Please e-mail Erik at [email protected].
Link: OLD OAKLAND COMMUNITY GARDEN PROPOSAL
2019 Update
Recently it was shared with the Community Garden that soil testing revealed a 1.6 ppb PFAS soil contamination. While we do not fully understand the potential impact of this contamination, we have decided to suspend the growing of vegetables for human consumption.
With this additional information, we are in the process of converting this traditional community garden into a pollinator garden enhanced with native annual and perennial plants. We are currently working with local non-profits to develop a plan to move forward.
This summer (2019) the plot has been seeded with rye, oats and clover. Additionally, Milkweed has also been donated and planted in the garden. We hope this will be the first step to restoring this site to production for wildlife and visually appealing for all neighbors. We ask for your patience while we work to restore this garden.
2018-2019 Garden Plan
Garden History
We want to express our gratitude to all the neighbors in the Old Oakland Neighborhood who worked to establish this garden 5 years ago and to the Garden Project who has been so helpful with resources over that time.
After much consideration and discussion with current garden members we have decided to remove all of the raised beds and structures to attempt to deal with the Canadian Thistle which has been so invasive these last few years.
We will be taking a year off (Summer 2018) from gardening this summer and focusing our energies on learning what other community gardens are working with and re-designing the garden to suit the smaller number of participants.
This could mean turning part into an orchard, or a fenced area for dogs. We want to reduce the size of the garden to better suit our needs, but how that might look in the future depends on what our neighbors want. Sign up below to stay up to date on planning meetings and garden tours to try to get ideas and inspiration for the re-design of the garden starting in 2019. For more information, please Contact Us!
