Bethel College

Sand Creek Community Gardens

Horticulture Education

The Sand Creek Community Gardens is a commons for the community, a gathering place for learning and mentoring, and where food can be produced and shared with others. The mission is to provide peaceful and inviting gardening spaces for the Bethel College community and beyond, with an intergenerational mix of students, families, and other individuals working side by side. The gardens include 30 plots, each measuring 20 by 20 feet, available to individuals and families.

The official governing body is an Advisory Council with representatives from the three leadership areas

  • Gardener Management
  • Common Area Management
  • Infrastructure (including a representative from Bethel College Facilities)

Fees

  • Gardeners can typically expect a water fee between $25 and $35 per year, depending on water costs from the previous year. Water costs (metered by the City of N. Newton) are divided equally among the plots and vary annually. Additional fees may be charged at the end of the gardening year if water use exceeds estimates. Actual water fees will be listed on the garden application.
  • The annual rental fee for each plot is $10. Requests for additional plots will be considered, but priority will be given to new gardeners.

Location

The Sand Creek Community Gardens are located in the Northeast area of the Bethel College campus, just to the north of Memorial Grove and the trailhead of the Sand Creek Trail. To access the gardens, turn right (East) on 29th Street off of Highway 15. Go past the tennis courts and follow the gravel road around the east side of the tennis courts.

Guidelines for Gardeners

  1. Smoking and the use of alcohol are prohibited.
  2. Small children are to be supervised by an adult.
  3. No vehicles are permitted beyond the parking area. Exceptions can be made for handicap accessibility.
  4. Pets brought to the garden must be leashed.
  5. All plots must be completely cleared of debris, cages, trellises or other garden structures no later than Thanksgiving Day to facilitate tilling of the entire area. Exceptions may be made for no-till plots, cold frames, or perennials by request.
  6. No garden structures or equipment may be stored at the gardens through the winter months. Exceptions may be made for students who do not live in the area and plan to garden the following year.
  7. All plants shall be confined within the borders of the garden plot. Gardeners are expected to control the weeds and grass along the edges of the gardens so that the public paths can easily be mowed to maintain a neat appearance.
  8. Reasonable control of weeds is expected. Gardeners are expected to maintain their plots throughout the gardening year, including after a garden is no longer used for vegetables or flowers. Gardeners must make arrangements to maintain their gardens when they must be away for an extended time.
  9. Gardeners who do not maintain weed and border control will be notified and given one week to remedy the problem. If the issue is not addressed, problematic plots may be weeded by volunteers or managers to prevent the spread of weeds and maintain a neat appearance.
  10. All vegetation cleared from the gardens shall be placed in designated areas. Weeds and vegetation likely to drop seeds should be placed on the burn pile northwest of the gardens. All other compostable vegetation may be placed on the unfinished compost pile. Refuse should not be placed on the pile where composting is in process. A pile of finished compost is available for gardeners. Please observe signs.
  11. Gardeners must read carefully and follow organic gardening practices as outlined in Guidelines on Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers (reviewed by the Advisory Council, Feb. 2019).
  12. Gardeners are expected to attend occasional meetings for information on best garden practices (water use, mulching, weed control, pests, building soil quality).
  13. In addition to tending their plots, gardeners must participate in monthly work days, contributing six hours toward general garden maintenance and improvement: weeding, mulching, removing dead vegetation, mowing, and other tasks. If gardeners can’t attend work days, tasks can be completed independently.
  14. All gardeners must also complete one week of irrigating and weeding of the common areas, scheduled at the start of the season.

Contacts

To ask questions or request an application, email communitygarden@bethelks.edu.