How to Cultivate a Thriving Military Community Garden in 10 Strategic Steps: A Comprehensive Guide for Success
- Mission: Food Forest
- Mar 25
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 28
Creating a military community garden is a rewarding journey that strengthens bonds among service members and their families. Gardening not only enhances mental well-being but also promotes healthy eating by providing fresh produce. This guide outlines ten strategic steps designed to help you cultivate a successful community garden, focusing on organization, inclusivity, and efficient resource management.
1. Garden Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Establishing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for your community garden is essential. It clearly outlines roles, maintenance schedules, and rules for garden usage. Your SOP should address responsibilities for all members, including who is responsible for watering, weeding, and harvesting, and it should be easily accessible to everyone involved.
An effective SOP fosters a sense of unity and establishes a shared purpose. For example, you might include safety protocols for using tools and dealing with pests. Ensure your SOP is updated regularly to capture any changes in garden practices or personnel, helping everyone stay informed and engaged. The SOP is key in garden continuity.
Use our free, editable template designed for military community gardens HERE!
2. Garden Map
A detailed garden map is key for maximizing the use of available space. A simple way to map out your garden is by taking a Google Maps screenshot of your designated space and using a tool like Canva to design a layout. Google Maps also provides general dimensions, which can be helpful for planning and incorporating into your SOP.
Below is an example of the Fort Knox Community Garden map.
3. Find Garrison Support & Installation Assessments
I can only speak for the Army, but I am sure other branches have equivalent programs on their installations. Fort Knox installation has a Physical Resilience Workgroup (PWRG) that assesses community health initiatives using the mNEAT (Military Nutrition Environment Assessment Tool).
Having a community garden on post can significantly improve the installation’s mNEAT score. In our case, our garden helped increase the community score by 114% in one year. (See Community sections 12.6 and H-8 on mNEAT facilitator's guide below.) A registered dietitian or health professional from your installation’s medical center may be able to assist in developing measurable action plans for the garden.
To track impact, we used a small produce scale and logged produce weight in ounces via a QR code-linked Google Sheet at our trade station.
4. Volunteer Hour Tracking
Our Army Community Services (ACS) Office helped register the garden in the Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS), making it easier to track volunteer hours. If you’re setting up a military garden, you can search for the roles below and copy/adapt the job descriptions for your garden's needs:
Community Garden Groundskeeper
Community Garden Coordinator
Youth Community Garden Groundskeeper
5. Community Garden Toolkit
The Air Force developed a "Community Garden Toolkit for Military Installations", which provides useful guidelines and resources that may apply to your installation.
Toolkit Link: https://ccejefferson.org/resources/a-community-garden-toolkit-for-military-installations
6. Property & Land Use Considerations
Understanding property and land use considerations is crucial before planting. Review any restrictions that exist on military installations, such as guidelines on chemical pesticides, approved landscaping methods, and allowable crops. Water/Rain harvesting considerations will be an essential first step.
Working with legal advisors or your installation’s environmental specialists can clarify zoning rules and land use regulations. This information helps ensure you create a safe, compliant, and effective gardening environment.
Gardens located on privatized housing property, may present challenges in securing funding since they are not technically under Garrison responsibility. Understanding who owns the land where your garden is located is crucial.
To navigate this, we built partnerships with MWR, housing/maintenance offices, and Garrison leadership to promote the garden and secure support. However, if your garden is located on official Garrison property, you may have an easier time accessing funding and resources.
7. Funding Without Cash Handling
Finding funding for your community garden can be tricky, especially under regulations that restrict cash handling. We used multiple approaches to secure funding while avoiding direct cash handling:
AMAZON WISHLIST (items shipped directly to a designated address)
GR (funds paid directly to vendors) from Spouse Clubs, Housing Companies, MWR, and community organizations
PHYSICAL DONATIONS from PCSing families, Warrior Warehouse, home improvement stores, and garden centers
INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS fundraising for specific garden projects
Mission: Food Forest is now a 501(c)3 and ready to help support and promote your fundraisers in order to navigate the funding obstacle!
8. Produce Sharing & Trade Stations
Setting up a produce sharing and trade station promotes community interaction and sustainability. Designate a specific area for gardeners to share surplus produce or trade items they do not need. For example, if one gardener has an abundance of tomatoes while another has excess peppers, they can exchange these crops freely.
Creating a predictable schedule for exchanges, like weekly "harvest days," encourages regular participation and increases awareness of seasonal produce. This interaction helps educate community members about nutrition and the benefits of diverse crops.
We set up a Trade Station where community members could exchange fresh produce, PCS plant surrenders, and gardening supplies. We used a Pineal Trade Station, which was an easy and effective way to manage community produce sharing. Check out The Pineal Community to see the magic in action.
9. Local Gardening Resources
Leveraging local gardening resources can enhance your community garden's success. Connect with local nurseries, agricultural extension offices, or universities that specialize in horticulture for seeds and plants. These resources can provide invaluable information about pest control, native plant species, and soil testing.
Additionally, consider hosting workshops with these local experts. Topics could include organic gardening techniques or composting benefits. Such workshops not only enrich participant knowledge but also reinforce community relationships.
Call your extension office and ask if they would be willing to teach a gardening 101 class to your military community.
10. Inclusive Family & Child Engagement in the Garden
Finding ways to engage families and children is vital for creating an inclusive community garden. Organize family gardening days where parents and kids can work together. Educational workshops designed for children can help them learn the importance of teamwork in nurturing plants.
Think about creating special children's garden plots where kids can take responsibility for growing their own plants. This hands-on experience fosters a connection with nature and is crucial for their learning journey. By creating an inclusive environment, your garden will flourish and the community will strengthen.
"Play Farmers Market" setup
Mud Kitchen for interactive play.- Click here for one of our faves.
Final Thoughts
Building a thriving military community garden takes careful planning, organization, and an emphasis on inclusivity. By following these ten steps, your garden can evolve into a vibrant space for growth and conversation. It provides nourishment not just for bodies but also for relationships among members of your community.
Each step throughout this process is an opportunity for connection and learning. This is your opportunity to uplift the strengths that various community members may bring to the table. Skills such as art, carpentry, design, music, mechanics, physical strength, etc are just as vital to the mission as gardening.
Maybe the most valuable skill a community garden leader can possess is to uplift and empower others.
Tag us in your garden photos on social media: @MissionFoodForest
Comments