Cultivating Community, Growing Food Together
Our mission
As Volunteers, our goal is to help people grow crops on their properties
The Gardening Team is dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle and communities. The food industry has become a major concern. We believe that caring about the environment will guide our steps toward a much-needed societal change, as others may follow suit and create their own Team that will continue to ripple through. And so on... Our intention is to spread motivation. In other words, we just would love to get the ball rolling.
Our project is a volunteer-supported, free-of-charge template. Our seeds are all organic.
We just need many helping hands!
Volunteers Welcome!
Celine-Brigitte Kayser, a Dixon resident and volunteer, supervises the Collective Gardening Team. Celine has 8 years of farming experience in NM, FL, and MO. She is always eager to learn and to hear about permaculture tips.
Donate your time and passion to help grow fresh food for our community. No experience necessary, just stamina! Teenagers are welcome on weekends and during Spring and Summer breaks.
For property owners
Although every property has different needs, having access to irrigation and a workable piece of land is absolutely crucial. Even if you only have a front-yard or backyard garden, you are encouraged to get in touch, and we will redirect you to people who might be able to help you or other Volunteers in the area. We are all independent participants and are aware that our strength lies in coordination. It is a slow start-up, but we are confident.
For the community
Our vision is to encourage community gardens to mushroom everywhere, not only locally but globally. This project isn't about competition; it's about promoting food as medicine and, more importantly, slowly changing market attitudes, since wholesome food shouldn't cost more than processed food. Dixon has a lot of potential. There is definitely room for "community gardens and a local fresh produce only market" to be developed one step at a time.
For sustainable living
Due to the current economic environment, we have to remain flexible and start working collectively, encouraging people to come together as a community and become voluntarily self-sufficient.
Nothing is too wild. If the project gains momentum in 2027, we'd definitely consider designing a food forest, where children would learn how to tend their bond with Nature.
How We Started
Life's amazing. In March 2026, as we were wondering where to find generous landowners, all of a sudden, some excellent news came in. What a blessing!
In 2026, we started with 3 parcels whose owners were strongly interested. Unfortunately, we had to refocus our efforts on two of them because of the severe drought.
We hoped to have more volunteer inquiries this season, although we understand that working with sandy soil isn't everyone's favorite. The bets were on. We made it!
Harvesting in the very first year is amazingly encouraging.
Harvest 2026
We're put to the test, no doubt. Despite the intense drought (100°F for 3 months in a row) and the pests- the rabbits and ground squirrels- we managed to make our hopes come true. We fenced the garden too late, and that cut our harvest by 50%. We lost many zucchini and beans.
Luckily, our cantaloupes eventually started flowering again after a critter attack, but it took them almost five weeks to recover.
We covered our main beds with shade cloths because the sun's rays were literally burning the leaves of many crops. As the water supply was continually low, shade cloths also limited evaporation.
We beat all the odds. We grew food the first year, and our persistence demonstrates that it is definitely doable!
Challenges & Hopes
Our carrots and red beets didn't grow as fast as we'd like because we couldn't water them enough. We expect our watermelons and cantaloupes to remain relatively small for the same reason.
Nonetheless, we remain upbeat, convinced we chose the right strategy. The Waffle Gardening Design inspired us so much that we'll improve it further in 2027. From modest beginnings, we hope to grow through unwavering dedication and a commitment to continuous improvement. Each step has reinforced our core belief in collaboration's power.
In Fall 2026 and Spring 2027, we will welcome 3 or 4 students eager to learn how to grow food quickly and efficiently in sandy soil. If you are interested, please contact us to join our free weekend classes, as we will be preparing for next season in October, November, February, and March. We will share all the "dos and don'ts" involved in our own version of the Waffle Design and soil improvement only.
The weather forecast predicts a harsh winter, with a lot of snow. We will need it to keep our objectives rolling.
Insightful Feedback Welcome!
Volunteers, Property Owners, and Community Members are
encouraged to share their thoughts
Your feedback will appear here
(Community Member)
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(Property Owner)
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(volunteer)
We recommend the free documentary "Food Matters", a hard-hitting, fast-paced look at our current state of health. Inquiring minds will find it on YouTube.
(Collective Gardening Team)
Your feedback will be posted here
(Property Owner)
Organic Rising - A Must-Watch Documentary! (2023) Hear directly from farmers and top scientists about the alarming effects of synthetic pesticides on our health and environment.
Rent it on organicrisingfilm.com
Can 'Organic' Food Be Trusted Anymore? The Fight For The Integrity Of Organic Farming. A 2hr documentary, free on YouTube.
(Collective Gardening Team)
The Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science of Grounding
Full documentary free on YouTube
(Collective Gardening Team)
(Community Member)
Contact us
Location
[DIXON AREA [[87527]
Phone
Text Only Please
[904-891-9634]