History
Key Moments in the Garden's History
In 2010, a group of about 10 people who had been meeting regularly in Lafayette, known as the LOCAL FOODS GROUP, started looking for a space to start a community garden. Their intended mission: “to provide a space and opportunities for community members to learn about and care for the local ecosystem and sustainably grown food, thereby promoting a healthier community and Earth.” They explored four sites, but decided that having one close to downtown, where there many apartment dwellers without access to gardening, and having one that was visible to the community, were assets.
So, after some negotiation with EBMUD they leased a plot of EBMUD land in front of the filter plant across from the reservoir on Lafayette’s main thoroughfare, Mt. Diablo Boulevard. The site itself is on what used to be “Old Tunnel Road” and the ground isn’t suited for gardening. As a result, all the beds needed to be raised above the ground. Also, since the site was a construction staging area, rubbish, gravel, trees and mounds of soil covered in poison oak covered the surface. Regardless, many of the planning group could see the wonderful possibilities, and some coined the garden a “Cinderella project.”
The lease of the land was possible with the support of a local non-profit, Sustainable Lafayette, who became a “fiscal sponsor,” meaning they offered the Lafayette Community Garden, 501c-3 status and insurance. The City agreed to be EBMUD’s primary lessee, with Sustainable Lafayette a sub-licensee. In return, the Lafayette Community Garden agreed to pay the least amount of $2000/year (with an annual increase of 2%) and offered Sustainable Lafayette 7% of any donations received by the garden. This percentage has been changed to a fixed amount each year equal to expenses Sustainable Lafayette pays for insurance and bookkeeping fees.
The Lafayette City and City Council did not want to take fiscal or other responsibility for the project of creating a community garden, but did agree to waive some planning fees. So, to raise money for basic infrastructure, fundraising parties were held. After a community tour of the garden, thirty members signed up to be initial members, offering a fee of $100 each. Fundraising activities, including sale of art tiles, crafted by artist Susan Dannenfelser and private pledges resulted in $23,000 raised the first year. This was enough to clear the land, build a fence and shed for tools and buy solar panels and a water tank to provide irrigation.
The main donor couple did not want a large plaque in their names. Rather they asked that the garden community choose a quote to represent the garden. Members voted to put the quote “IN NATURE NOTHING EXISTS ALONE” above the garden gate.
The garden planners wanted to be a community learning center as well as community garden and so named the project Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center. Their main objectives, which continue to be in place, were to:
- Provide opportunities for community members of all ages to learn about and participate in sustainable growing practices
- Provide community members the opportunity to visit a healthy attractive space and observe the natural beauty of the native riparian ecosystem
- Provide community members opportunities to learn about the components and dynamics of the local environment and man’s impact on its health
- Provide a safe, inclusive space where community members can meet, share work and learn from others.
In 2012, the garden and learning center had 30 member families. The initial beds were made of straw wattle siding, with soil coming from the Lafayette Cemetery, among other sources. Irrigation was done all by hand from a 3600 gallon tank, with water delivered by truck every two weeks. The irrigation pressure was created using a pump powered by solar panels, which didn’t always function on cloudy days.
Over the next two years, a part-time garden manager was employed to begin the process of creating infrastructure and do some teaching about gardening practices. There was a Board of Directors who helped in planning and with financial decisions. In 2014, it was agreed that the garden could be member- led, and so from then on, all work is done with volunteers.
A greenhouse was made by members with greenhouse plastic siding. This was replaced by a wooden greenhouse in 2017. In this greenhouse, many of our vegetables were propagated, although much propagation is now done on grow carts in members’ homes. We began having teams of people take on different jobs at the garden, one of these being propagation. A compost system was established. Stucco beds were built at the entrance of the garden with trellises covering walkways and now graced with grapes and passion fruit.
The Lafayette Community Foundation and other funders helped LCG and OLC pay for tunneling under Mt. Diablo Boulevard to a median strip to gain access to EBMUD water pipes used for irrigation. An agreement was signed with the City to install a sub-meter and pay for water used. Extensive irrigation piping was installed underground.
Electricity was installed by the Boy Scouts, who requested to use the parking lot during the holiday season to sell Christmas trees. This allowed LCG and OLC to bring electricity and a drip system to all beds. At that time there were twenty beds. Currently we have 42 raised beds.
One of the members generously donated funding for a beautiful sustainable chicken coop and run. We now have about 15 chickens, with members acting as daily chicken tenders. In most years, hens lay about an egg a day each, up to 90 eggs per week total, which members share.
This year, we began working collaboratively with Mt. Diablo Beekeepers who are using the site for training of their members. They currently have an apiary at the back of the garden with about 12 hives.
The garden partnered with the Contra Costa County Master Gardeners, part of the UC Agricultural Extension. They provide workshops for members, and meet monthly for “grand rounds” of the garden site, during which all get a chance to have questions answered and share information.
Currently, we have over 100 members who pay $120 for an individual and $170 for a family each year to work and share in harvest. All work is done collaboratively. We work in teams, using sustainable methods to produce harvest for members to enjoy.
We offer numerous workshops and classes to members and the public. We also have a nature trail, labyrinth and simulation of a Miwok Village outside the back gate of the garden. The emphasis of that area is on teaching about the creek ecosystem, native plants and Native American history. We also host third grade field trips for the Lafayette School District and host multiple student and scout groups for tours.
The garden continues to develop, with members consistently citing a sense of community as what they enjoy most about their membership. For information about membership go to our membership page.
A weekly newsletter is sent out electronically which provides garden news and a worklist for the workdays. Work is done collaboratively, with members usually working in teams, such as the flower team, social team, native plant team, herb team, compost team, construction crew, education committee and designated crop teams, depending on their interests.
Over 15 Eagle Scout Projects have been sponsored by garden members at the garden site, including two for the stucco beds, two for 20 benches which are used throughout the garden, and a family deck.
Like bees in a hive, in our community garden we have niches, or roles. In any case we work together to play a role for the good of the garden. We are aware of the tremendous importance the niche pollinators play, as well, in their ecosystems. As a result, over the years, we have expanded our variety of flowers and are growing a number of native plants.
Tomatoes and lettuce are rated member favorites year after year. But above all, members say what they value most is the sense of community that the Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center provides.
We encourage community members to visit, ask questions and just hang out during our garden work hours.