Community Food & Garden Network

cfgn

The Community Food and Garden Network (CFGN) is a network of people in the Madison area using food as a way to build a stronger sense of community and working to make gardening available to everyone.

Harvesting your first heirloom tomato. Smelling fresh herbs on your apartment porch. Teaching a middle school child how to grow and enjoy healthy foods. Sharing your perennial flower seeds. Deadheading mums at wheelchair height. Picture yourself enjoying these activities and we can picture you enjoying membership in the Community Food and Garden Network.

Our purpose is simple- to connect people through gardening. Gardening embodies so many of the things we all care about:

Good food
Have a passion for fresh produce, tantalizing herbs, homegrown tomatoes? Food sharing and potlucks are a few topics you hear about from our members. One member uses her heirloom vegetables to create 'taste memories.' Called 'Seed to Supper,' the group intends to get together for one large harvest potluck at the end of the growing season.

A positive hobby
Try growing something and you too will grow. Gardening offers possibilities for relaxing, learning, exercising, and appreciating beauty, being outside and enjoying conversations with the people around you.

A strong community
Through the simple act of gardening, our group visualizes stronger community ties. It happens in various ways. We talk about food clubs such as SHARE. We share seeds and recipes. We highlight adaptive tools and demonstrate raised beds.

We are from every part of your community- schools, retirement communities, apartments, nonprofit agencies, and food program sites. Don't visualize yourself as a gardener? Have limited mobility, vision, hearing, knowledge? We welcome all interest and ability levels. Come to our seasonal meetings. We make time for networking, tours of gardens and facilities, and best of all- eating!

Please see our EVENTS page for upcoming dates. Or join our LISTSERV (see link at left in orange bar). This is a great way to keep up with related events and trainings, grant deadlines, volunteer opportunities, and a supportive network of people eager to learn and share.