Community of Practice

One of the ways we are supporting collective gardening as a movement is by weaving together a Community of Practice. This has looked differently through the years as our capacity and programs evolve. In the past four years, we have organized three Collective Gardening Trainings and we’ve coordinated five community of practice gatherings, some virtual and others in person.

Particularly within the last year, we’ve heard from several gardeners, including those who already grow collectively, as well as groups interested in developing their own collective model. What we are hearing is a desire to gather with a group of people who share a passion for collective gardening, to share lessons learned and to glean ideas for unique challenges and opportunities.

Some of the conversation topics we’ve been having include:

• Planning for crops that can be bulk harvested and easily distributed among collective members (e.g. planting calendars for potatoes, garlic, winter squash)
• Choosing a communication tool that is accessible and appropriate for the group (e.g Google Groups, WhatsApp, Slack)
• Financial models for covering costs and  keeping membership fees accessible (e.g. sliding scale, non-profit fiscal entities)

In 2025, we will be organizing seasonal, in-person, Community of Practice gatherings. We are also considering the possibility of scheduling a monthly virtual gathering to welcome people from farther away and have more continuity. Participation in the Collective Gardening Community of Practice is open to everyone, from everywhere, and with all levels of experience in gardening or collectivism. We’ll be establishing group norms and agreements, and we expect all participants to abide by them. 

Our first Collective Gardening Community of Practice in 2025 will be in February. If you are interested in learning more and hopefully joining us, please contact Carolina – carolina@vtgardens.org