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Bock Community Forest
The John C. Bock Community Forest includes a very unique 1-acre community garden. This community garden includes space for growing vegetables, fruits, and flowers like a typical community garden, as well as space devoted to growing native trees, shrubs, and perennials for transplant into the Bock restoration area. In addition, gardeners grow produce for Middleton Outreach Ministry through the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry program.
A community garden is a group of individuals, families, and organizations who choose to garden together. People of all cultures, speaking all languages, making any kind of income, with little or a lot of growing experience are all welcome. Each household or organization gets a plot to tend and contributes some volunteer hours to help run the garden, and in the case of the Bock Community Garden, to help contribute to the restoration of the John C. Bock Community Forest prairie and oak savannah.
Purchasing 3-year-old oak trees and mature native plants can be very costly. However, purchasing small oak seedlings and shrubs can be relatively inexpensive. Bock Community Gardeners will be provided with seedlings and shrubs which they will be responsible for planting and tending. This responsibility will be part of an agreement between the gardeners and the City of Middleton, which will be signed at the time community garden plots are issued.
Of course! The only stipulation is that all garden plots must be kept organic.
One of the greatest benefits of community gardening is learning from other gardeners. Someone will always be there to help. The most important thing is to ask for help and suggestions from your fellow gardeners. It’s a lot of fun!
Gardening is fun but it’s also hard work! You will have to weed, harvest, and maintain your plot, and contribute to the maintenance of the forest restoration plot. You will also have to participate in at least two garden workdays per growing season. Gardening also demands more time at certain points of the growing season than others. If you don’t think you can tend to your plot at least twice a week, consider sharing with someone else.
- Be a good neighbor by following the rules and maintaining your plot
- Perform the required hours of voluntary service for the garden and the forest restoration
- Enjoy the garden and the community of gardeners!