The frantic pace of summer gardening hitches down a notch as temperatures lower. I love fall gardening—it feels good to harvest buckets of produce, mulch trees, plant winter greens and take stock of wins.
You don’t need a yard or a designated plot in the community garden to get out in nature this fall. Local organizations provide structure, beautiful outdoor areas and knowledgeable mentors for anyone looking to touch some grass.
I’m a fan of the Athens Land Trust’s Williams Farm, managed by Joy Brown. Joy and I worked on a farm together, so I am biased, but I know firsthand that she’s a hard worker who loves teaching people about growing produce.
The Williams Farm is a 5-acre urban farm located a mile from downtown Athens. The natural beauty is a great reason to volunteer at the farm, Brown said. “It’s very serene and peaceful here.”
Besides the environment, the farm’s mission focuses on helping people from marginalized groups learn to farm. Harvested produce also goes to some of the county’s public schools for school meals, Brown said. Volunteers directly aid these beginner farmers through weeding, mulching and planting. “You would be contributing to making the community a little bit better by serving some of the underserved people in the community,” she said.
Volunteer hours do change with the season and are updated at givepulse.com. Folks interested in volunteering outside of those hours can contact Brown at [email protected].
If you’re looking for more hands-on, on-farm volunteering, opportunities for students and non-students alike are available at UGArden, said April McCoy, the farm manager. Volunteers typically take on chores such as planting, harvesting, tilling and drying herbs for two hours at a time in rain or shine.
Besides selling some of its produce and herbal teas, the UGArden also donates thousands of pounds of produce to partner organizations who distribute the free food in the Athens area. Volunteering hours usually run during the working week from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Interested people can register through UGArden’s Engage page at uga.givepulse.com/group/events/116117.
Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful often looks for groups of volunteers to help with a focused one-time project, said Stacy Smith, the KACCB program manager. The program aims to prevent litter, reduce waste and beautify the local area. For example, volunteers are needed to clear out overgrown areas in county school gardens, while students and teachers are the ones who usually plant, water and maintain crops. “Our primary focus is getting groups into the garden so that the garden maintenance is manageable for the schools,” Smith said.
Most of the volunteers come from the same church, sorority or social club, she said. The KACCB also houses a community tool shed, available for groups who are prioritizing cleaning up spaces like roadsides, cemeteries and community gardens. “We do loan tools for groups that are doing community garden or school garden projects,” Smith said. Many well-equipped hands make short work when it comes to projects that need extra trash grabbers, shovels and wheelbarrows.
Folks interested in scheduling a volunteer opportunity for a group or borrowing tools for a scheduled project can email Smith at [email protected].
The best part about volunteering at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia is the flexibility. Volunteer jobs range from hands-on horticulture to helping lead visitors through the garden as a tour guide, said Andrea Fischer, the State Botanical Garden volunteer and tours coordinator. “We’ll find the perfect spot for you,” she said.
The bot garden includes areas as diverse as a children’s garden, an international garden and a heritage garden as well as a tropical conservatory. Questions about plants are encouraged during volunteering hours, as I know from the times I’ve volunteered at the bot gardens. I found it easy to ask questions while planting bulbs with an experienced staff member.
UGA students are welcome to volunteer as well, despite their busy and sometimes unpredictable schedules. Most people volunteer once a week for three hours, Fischer said, “but I know the curators will work with a student’s schedule.”
If a weekly commitment sounds like too much, the Botanical Garden also encourages volunteers for larger seasonal activities, such as September’s Insectival Festival. Insectival, a popular event where children and adults learn about bugs, typically staffs 60–80 volunteers, Fischer said. People interested in volunteering at the State Botanical Garden can visit botgarden.uga.edu/support/volunteer-opportunities to learn more.
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