Welcome to the Red Oak Garden

Around a campfire in December 2000, a group of friends and neighbors started talking about the need for people to come together and learn from the earth. From this conversation, Red Oak Garden came to be. Our garden is situated on the Helping Hands and Hooves farm.

Red Oak Garden is an inclusive environment where we work the land, enjoy each other’s company and learn from one another.

Mission Statement:

  • We are friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds, coming together to work and learn in our garden.
  • We seek to respect and receive from the earth and each other.
  • We aim to cultivate healthy soil and nutritious produce by studying nature’s wisdom.

Values:

  • Use our resources wisely.
  • Reuse and Repurpose what we have or what we gather from others.
  • Let nature do as much of the work as possible.
  • Study biodiversity in nature in order to learn and accept our own varied strengths and challenges.
  • Grow our plants from seed and harvest our seeds, sharing with others.
  • Learn new things – it’s okay if it doesn’t work out! We will learn, adapt and try again.
  • Reflect, Smile, Laugh and Have Fun!

What We Do:

Together, we experience first-hand the resilience and abundance of nature and the joy of harvest. We welcome the help of volunteer gardeners from Better Community Living, neighbors and friends. Our seasonal gatherings include:

  • Community Farm Mornings – chores, animals, and gardening fun!
  • Summer Solstice yoga in the garden
  • Cider making on Autumn Equinox
  • Winter Solstice neighborhood lantern walk
  • Midwinter study of folk arts traditions: 
    • beeswax candle making
    • herbal soap making
    • herb dyeing of natural fibers
    • healing herbal salves
  • Seed starting and spring planting!

Our Farming Practices – Values in Action:

  • Bees:
  • Food Preservation: Drying, pickling, canning, and fermenting our vegetables and herbs.
  • Growing Systems: We are continuing to evolve, learning more about raising seedlings, using our cold frame and greenhouse.
  • Composting: We are happy to be making our own soil, using materials from the farm, donated seaweed and other soil amendments.
  • Water Conservation: Our rainwater collection system can store 210 gallons.

We invite you to come and visit!

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