We are a community.

We pay for for the privilege of our garden plot each year with a small $ fee and 6 in-kind hours. This community effort is what keeps our garden growing and thriving!

Every plot holder signs up to be part of a team. Team Leads work to keep the team organized and productive, and make sure no one gets missed. Below are the responsibilities of the various teams. Where do you fit in?

Plot holders are entitled to credit for in-kind hours worked in the area they signed up for at registration, but not random acts of kindness or other garden activities.

Equipment • Lawn Maintenance • Flower Beds • Food Bank Plot • Food Bank Delivery • Greenhouse • Herb Garden • Vegetable Patch • Summer Squash Patch • Orchard and Raspberries • Plot Maintenance • Grounds Maintenance • Weeding • Watering • Organic Pest Control

 Equipment and Tools Team

  • check and maintain all tools
  • repair handles, etc., or replace broken tools (board approval is required for large expenses)
  • repair lawnmowers or weed eaters (lawn maintenance team lead will advise)
  • rheck oil in the lawnmowers and weed eaters – oil is stored in the equipment maintenance room
  • submit receipts for tools and materials such as weed eater string and parts for lawn mowers to the board for reimbursement
  • maintain a tool inventory and notify the board when tools need to be replaced
  • manage small fixes such as taps and hoses for the water supply. The city will manage any major problems. Please forward major concerns to  administrator@abbotsfordcommunitygarden.com) or phone Jay at the number on the whiteboard in the greenhouse
  • keys to the equipment maintenance room room are different from the greenhouse or gas cage keys and will be only given to volunteers in this area. They must be returned at the end of the season

In May

Bring out hoses and Irrigation Lines from the equipment maintenance room

  • inspect for leaks
  • repair if necessary
  • hang one hose on each garden area rack
  • purchase new hoses if necessary ( prior approval from Board)
  • check hoses throughout the season

End of September

Collect hoses from all areas of the garden

  • inspect, repair any leaks
  • drain for the winter
  • put all hoses in equipment room

Lawn Maintenance Team

Read the safety instructions prior to use of the lawnmowers or weed eaters. By using this equipment you agree to follow all safety requirements.

  • fill the red gas cans as necessary. These are located outside in the caged gas storage area
  • purchase 2 stock oil and prepare gas:oil mixture for weed eaters (separate red gas can (labelled)
    • use only pre-mixed gas for weed eaters
  • cut grass and trim weeds in the following areas:
    • around all plots
    • on each side of the greenhouse (use weed eater only within 5 feet)
    • around all raised beds
    • by the orchards

Flower Beds Team

Garden Entrance and Front of Greenhouse

Spring:

  • check soil level in pots and the beds in front of the greenhouse to determine if they need to be topped up
  • if additional soil is not necessary consider adding a 1 inch layer of organic matter (Gently work into the upper layer of soil by hand)
  • prune as necessary by cutting back herbaceous part of the plant, not the woody part

Weekly for April to September:

  • weed and remove dead flowers
  • water thoroughly as necessary

September:

  • clean up by cutting back dead stems
  • cut back herbs in the pots

Food Bank Plot Team

Under the direction of the team lead, conduct general maintenance of the garden plot designated for growing produce to supply to the food bank:

  • planting
  • weeding
  • watering
  • harvesting
  • year-end cleanup

Food Bank Delivery Team

Take donations of produce to the Food Bank once or twice a week from around late June to mid-September:

  • pick up food bin from the garden, deliver contents to the Abbotsford Food Bank, and return the bin to the garden
  • determine a scheduled time for this pickup and mark it on lid of the bin for all gardeners’ information

Abbotsford Food Bank is located at 33914 Essendene Avenue, Abbotsford

Note that we do not compensate for mileage. 

Greenhouse Team

Weekly from April to September:

  • sweep floors in the main area, corridor, bathroom and office
  • clean bathroom
  • clean and organize tools
  • organize the work bench

Monthly from April to September:

  • check the first aid kit and eye wash station. Complete the provided check list. Notify the board when first-aid supplies are low  or if the eyewash is stale dated
  • clean and organize (mostly plant pots) the back room of the greenhouse as required, typically in May, June and September. Note: the greenhouse is not to be used for gardeners’ personal storage.

Herb Garden Team

  • the team lead will determine additional herbs to plant in the garden
  • they will either purchase or arrange purchasing the herbs
  • usually by April, prune the lavender by cutting back the herbaceous part (not the wood)
  • weed as needed
  • water deeply once a week or more during days of extreme heat
  • in September, clean-up the area and work compost (if available) to the upper layer of soil
  • October to November: Purchase straw and lay over plants to prevent winter damage

Vegetable Patch Team

  • team lead to purchase seeds, design layout of the beds, and determine date to invite volunteers to plant
  • prepare the soil, seed and label beds
  • replant if necessary
  • weed weekly
  • water weekly to a depth of one inch
  • when produce is ready to harvest, put a note on the whiteboard that gardeners can begin to harvest
  • end of the season, remove plant debris (or work non- diseased plant debris into the soil)
  • if available, work compost into the soil

Summer Squash Patch Team

Team lead to purchase seeds, design layout of the beds, and determine date to invite volunteers to plant

  • prepare the soil, seed and label beds
  • replant if necessary
  • weed weekly
  • water weekly to a depth of one inch
  • when squash is ready to harvest, put a note on the whiteboard that gardeners can begin to harvest
  • at the end of the season, remove plant debris (or work non-diseased plant debris into the soil)
  • if available, work compost into the soil

Orchard and Berry Patch Team

Prune trees, grapes and blueberry plants

  • fertilize as requirements
  • weed and water
  • thin fruit trees as required
  • remove infected fruit and tree fruit leaves as required

Blueberries

  • replace mulch as required
  • prune old growth in the fall as necessary

Raspberries

In the spring, trim and tie back canes before buds begin to break

  • prune all canes that bore fruit last year, they won’t fruit again. These will have grayish peeling bark
  • remove any spindly or short canes
  • thin to 4-5 of the healthiest, tallest and fattest canes per foot
  • along the length of the row, tie back remaining canes
  • weekly from April to June, if needed, water the soil to a depth of 1 inch
  • weed the area weekly from July to August
  • around September, prune plants by removing floricanes at the soil level. Do not leave stumps. 

Grounds Maintenance

One to three people to work as a team

  • work closely with the Board and the plot maintenance person to notice/report/prevent issues that relate to areas outside of plots requiring attention.
  • frequently and regularly  walk the grounds
  • regularly pick up and remove all non-organic matter (garbage) from outside plots and in the compost bunker, and dispose of it in the greenhouse garbage
  • have familiarity with the ACG Guidelines
  • be friendly

Examples:

  • members planting or constructing anything outside their own plot that is not directly linked to their in-kind hours group’s agreed-to responsibilities
  • damage to anything on the property outside of plots
  • parking infractions

Weeding Team

Three or more people to work closely with the plot maintenance person

  • under the direction of the plot maintenance person, remove weeds from plots as directed
  • the work will be done proactively in any member’s plot who, after due warning, is not controlling weeds
  • occasionally clear out plots that are abandoned during the growing season

Watering Team

Three or more people to work as a team from June 1 to Sept 1

  • based on a list in the greenhouse, water plots for members who request this service because of absences, injuries or medical conditions that prevent them from watering
  • report to the board any member who appears to be taking undue advantage of this service

This team can make an independent decision and extend this service to other requests if and when they feel it would be appropriate.

Organic Pest Control Team

Three or more people to work as a team. This team uses cruelty-free, organic methods to control voles and other pests as needed. No poison is to be used because poison finds its way up the food chain and affects the predators that would normally control the pests.

  • obtain training in organic rodent control from designated member.
  • develop and execute a plan to humanely control pests within the community garden plots area. The plan is to be approved by the Board or a designated member
  • get board approval before making purchases
  • work closely with the grass cutting and trimming teams so there is awareness of trap locations and appearance