Anoka County Master Gardeners Reach Out to the Community

Carol Hanson, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener

The Anoka County Master Gardeners have many projects going all year long, but this is an especially favorite time.

Teamwork is the key to creating great partnerships and gardens.

The Jefferson Elementary School Garden was created in the spring of 2024 with the goal of providing a sense of community and togetherness. The curriculum in the first year centered around the basics of gardening, including garden site selection, what pollinators are and why they are important, doing a basic DIY soil test, and planting and transplanting techniques. A 13x25-foot pollinator garden with native perennials and a few Canna Lilies was planted. The second year saw an expansion of a fenced-in vegetable garden consisting of four raised beds. The students planted the entire garden with seeds and transplants. It was tremendously successful and produced an abundance of fresh produce that was donated to the Jefferson Elementary staff. The students even had a school-wide "guess the weight" contest with three pumpkins in the fall. This spring saw more growth with having two additional sessions with the students in March to teach them about seed anatomy and growing seedlings.

The program includes students from fourth and fifth grades. In 2024, 11 kids participated, in 2025 there were 18, and this year there were 27. This garden has had a great impact on the school from teachers taking staff photos with the pollinator garden as their background, kids ecstatically excited for garden club, and this year the garden made it into the yearbook! The kids came together for a community purpose - they may not realize it yet, but these bonds they make in those gardens with their classmates will come around in unimagined ways later in life for them.

The sister garden to the Jefferson garden is the Eisenhower Elementary School Garden. In the spring, students spend three weeks learning about gardening and planting a vegetable garden. Throughout the summer, volunteers water and weed the garden.

This garden was initiated four years ago when two students wrote a letter to their principal requesting a vegetable garden on campus. They wanted a community garden where they could grow food to donate. A group of Anoka County Master Gardeners donated time and plants to bring their vision to life two years ago. Since then, over 300 pounds of vegetables have been donated back to the community from this garden.

Both gardens are open for viewing to the public all day until Labor Day. When school reopens in the fall, access is limited to weekends and after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays.

The Crest View Senior Living Community Garden is on private property and was primarily created for residents and their families. The garden was created by a former resident (who passed away last fall). He started it as a memorial to his wife, who loved gardening, about three years ago. He had never gardened himself up to this point. When he passed away, Crest View was asked if they would be interested in partnering with ACMG to maintain this garden. The main purpose is to provide a beautiful garden space for the residents and their families, a place where they can enjoy nature, participate in gardening tasks, and enjoy a community space for all residents.

One of the residents has taken it upon himself to ensure the garden is watered regularly and often. It has become a place many have donated towards. One resident purchased an arbor to be placed at the entrance of the walkway into the garden. Others have contributed flowers or memorial plaques in honor of former residents of Crest View. There are currently three different memorials within the garden. Currently several vegetables are growing that the residents can use for their own use or for activities within the community. Pumpkins have been planted, which may be used for some fall activities within Crest View. Hopefully each year more expansion or enhancement of the gardens will take place.

The residents often express how much they appreciate the garden, how lovely it looks, and how much this means to them that they have such a lovely space within their property.

Working with the community is the best part of being an ACMG! Teaching and supporting gardening practices with all ages is what being a Master Gardener is all about and ACMGs have many opportunities to share their enthusiasm and tips with the Anoka County Community.