Mission
We are a community-based gardening group with these goals:
- To raise healthy, organic food for our families without the use of
chemical fertilizers or pesticides. - To strengthen, nourish and enjoy our community.
- To give produce to Faith in Action to give to those in need.
- To be good stewards of the soil and leave it healthier than we found
it.
We all love our little gardens and put a lot of work into them. They are a
source of beauty, inspiration and nutritious food.
Location
The Chelsea Community Garden is located off of Sibley Road in Chelsea, Michigan at the rear of TimberTown Park. The garden is adjacent to the B2B trail.
Organics
The Chelsea Community Garden is an organic garden. No chemical fertilizers or pesticides may be used. However, using conventionally-grown seeds and seedlings and manure from non-organic farms is acceptable.
Plots
Each plot measures 20 feet by 20 feet. Plots are separated by a 2 foot wide grass paths. There are 43 individual plots in the garden. Gardeners may tend half a plot, one plot, or multiple plots.
Water
Water is pumped via solar power from Lett’s Creek into our water tower. From there, water is gravity-fed through pipes and hoses for use in watering crops. While the creek is quite clean as surface water goes, we recommend that you do not drink the water from the hoses, and wash your produce in tap water before eating due to the potential presence of fecal matter from agricultural runoff (and the manure used as a natural fertilizer). There is a drinking fountain near the parking lot with clean water for drinking while you garden.
Compost
The garden maintains a suite of large compost bins. Gardeners are encouraged to compost dead (but not diseased) plants. Several times a year, groups of gardeners turn and sift the compost, which is then available for use in the garden plots. We also organize truck runs to local farms to bring composted manure to the garden, which may be used by any gardener as fertilizer.
Fences
The entire garden is fenced with 6′ tall welded wire mesh, with two strands of wire above that for a total fence height of about 9′ to keep deer out.
Tools
The garden has two tool sheds with a variety of hand and power tools available for use by gardeners. Please be sure to lock the sheds if you are the last person to leave. Tools include shovels, rakes, hoes, rototillers, wheelbarrows, and hoses.
Community Plants
Membership in the Chelsea Community Garden entitles gardeners to a share of our community crops: blueberries and asparagus! Garden volunteers monitor and direct distribution of the community crops.
Chelsea Community Garden 