Growing Food at the Gariola Commons
Garden Plots, Apple Orchard, Blueberries, Figs
Agriculture
Community Gardens
There are 100 allotment gardens and they are used primarily by local residents and some community groups to grow food.
The Commons has allotment gardens in three locations, north and south fields on the Commons and at Namaste Farm on South Road.
For information about the availability of garden plots and wait lists, contact:
- North Gardens: patrick.henri.marcel[at]gmail[dot]com
- South Gardens: commonsouth[at]gmail[dot]com
- Namaste Gardens: namaste[at]gabriolacommons[dot]ca
Allotment Gardens
At the Commons site, 70 allotments of 200-400 square feet are available for growing food and flowers for personal use.
Seniors’ Gardens
About 15 raised plots in the Dragon Garden are worked primarily by those associated with seniors’ programs and the Rollo Centre next door.
Namaste Gardens
33 allotment gardens off site at the “sunny south end” are located at Namaste Farm on South Road.
Community Kitchen Garden
A large kitchen garden which produces for workbee lunches and farmstand sales.
Seed Bank
A seed bank is slowly being developed to aid in local food sustainability.
PHC Garden
A garden used primarily by People for a Healthy Community clients and staff.
Orchard
There is also an orchard with a variety of fruit trees and several low bush berries.
Some of the crops grown in the Orchard include:
- Apples
- Pears
- Figs
- Blueberries
- Hascaps
Little Field
The Farm Team keeps a Kitchen Garden and Little Field for the seed bank, workbee lunches veggies and farmgate sales. Money raised from sales supports the Farm Team.
The seed bank contains a variety of seeds for future plantings at the Commons or by community members.
Some of the crops grown in the Little Field include:
- Grains
- Squashes
- Tomatoes
- Squashes
- Occasional experimental crops
Agriculture Blog
South Gardeners’ Social
The Commons South Gardeners hosted a gathering of all the allotment gardeners associated with the Commons last Thursday, with Pollen Heath of Watercliff Farm as guest speaker to share best practices for growing tomatoes.
Commons in the Summer
The Commons in summer is many things. First, there’s the joy of gardening and harvesting the first foods. In one instance, young families are passing on gardening skills and knowledge to the next generation under the guidance of Betty Kehler, part of the Commons’ farm...
Be part of our Farm Management Team!
The Farm Management Team mandate is:
To apply the Commons vision to protect the agricultural potential of the Commons by:
- enhancing the land to produce food for generations to come;
- engaging in organic food production, modeling sustainable community agriculture;
- modeling sustainable supported agriculture, using renewable energy practices; and
- engaging in horticultural research specific to Gabriola.
To coordinate the agricultural initiatives presented in our three-phase agricultural plan for the Agricultural Land Commission.