Fairfield Iowa
Community Garden
Fairfield Community Garden (FCG) Member Agreement 2025
The Leadership Team
Coordinators Barbara Rainbow (Director), Faith Reeves (Soil Health Educator), Karen DeAngelis (Manager)
Quadrant Contacts Jill Hebert (QA), Monica Haward (QB), Mary Argast (QC), Trish Fenton (QD)
Please read and indicate your agreement by checking the box at the end of each section.
Start of the Season
Stay in touch! You must provide an active email address and phone number. It is your responsibility to check your messages from the FCG regularly, respond promptly, and stay informed. The Team will primarily use email and the FaceBook FCG Group page for all garden announcements and important member information. While we may use texting or phone calls for urgent matters, these will not be the primary methods of communication.
Mid-March Get Growing Party Each member is required to attend this important orientation meeting or arrange a one-on-one meeting with one of the Coordinators. On this day, plots must be worked, composted, and prepared. This may include incorporating a winter cover crop into the soil, broad forking, and adding compost. The meeting will also cover such topics as garden planning and recommended seed and plant varieties. The garden lock combinations will be provided at the meeting. This date is set annually, based on weather conditions.
May 15th Planting Deadline Plots must show evidence of being planted by this date.
Plant Annuals and Easily Maintainable Plants Invasive plants that spread quickly through seeds or rhizomes are prohibited, including all mints, lemon balm, bee balm, and oregano. Corn is prohibited. Avoid planting perennial or woody plants.
Planting Restrictions Commercial operations or the sale of garden products are not permitted. Be mindful of tall crops, such as sunflowers or okra, that could shade a neighbor’s plot or potentially fall over. Prune tall plants to 6 feet or place them in the center of your plot or where they will not shade neighboring plots.
Use only organic fertilizers and soil amendments. They are made from natural sources such as food/plant compost, minerals, worm castings, plant material, bone meal, blood meal, and fish emulsion. Synthetic fertilizers and animal manure are not allowed.
Use only organic insect and disease control methods. These methods include hand removal, neem oil, pyrethrins, microbial pesticides, physical barriers, vinegar and hot water, natural repellents, and biological controls. Prevent and manage damage by regularly inspecting your plants and taking steps to stop the spread of pests or diseases. If a threat to other plots arises, the Coordinators may require special control measures. Synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are not permitted.
Growing Green Together
Learn proven sustainable gardening techniques through our monthly workshops, demonstrations, and shared video links.
Enjoy the 4 communal gardens, reserved for perennials such as herbs, strawberries, rhubarb, and flowering plants that attract pollinators. Their harvests are shared among all members.
Exchange seeds with other members and through the communal seed bank.
Get to know your garden neighbors. If you need some help, find another member to share maintenance tasks with you. Let The Team know if you need assistance or if someone else is caring for your plot while you are away.
Show respect for other gardeners’ plots. Keep your garden activities within your plot, and avoid extending into adjacent plots or pathways. Do not plant, weed, water, amend, fertilize or harvest another person’s plot without their permission.
Garden Visitors If visitors come to the garden, do not invite them in unless you are responsible for hosting them. If they wish to harvest something, explain that we do not harvest from other gardeners' plots.
Share your abundance Place extra produce or cuttings in the Produce Donation Box located in the garden – or donate them to a local food bank or community kitchen. Harvesting produce from other member’s plots is prohibited without the plot owner’s permission.
Share your photos, stories, and gardening tips by posting them on Instagram at fairfieldiowacommunitygarden or on the FCG Members Facebook Group page.
Share your ideas, feedback, concerns, or recommendations with The Team. We encourage open communication and are committed to improving the garden’s management and operations. Members have access to both an online and paper “Suggestions Box.” Several surveys will be available throughout the growing season.
Take your trash with you. The garden is a trash free, carry-in and carry-out facility. Recycled grocery bags are available in the tool shed to help you bag your trash.
Maintenance Expectations
Keep your plot and the pathway around it tidy and weed-free. Most gardeners tend their plots and pathways 2-3 times a week.
Share the water equipment and limit your watering time to 30 minutes if others are waiting. Use hand sprayers or watering cans. Be careful when moving hoses to avoid damaging neighboring plots. To protect the water system: 1) Turn the water off at the faucet. 2) Release the water pressure in the hose by pressing the hand sprayer. 3) Roll the hose onto the caddy without kinks. 4) Push the water hydrant handle down to the off position. Always check that the water hydrant is turned off when not in use and before locking the gate. Report any leaks to the Coordinators immediately. Under no circumstances can the water hydrant be left on when gardeners are not present.
Clean any tools or garden equipment you borrow from the lending library and return them to their designated storage areas.
Control your rambling vines by using the galvanized metal trellises provided by the garden to train them and keep them out of the pathway.
Mulch your plot to prevent weeds and conserve water. Organic wheat straw is provided as part of the plot fee.
Remove diseased plants by pulling them up completely and disposing of them.
Dispose of weeds and plant matter properly. The garden does not have a composting system. Remove all plant matter from the garden pathways or any mowed grassy areas outside of the garden. You may place plant matter and weeds at the edge of the woods, south of the garden, but not on the mowed grass areas. Do not leave any plant matter in The City Park and Recreation Department trash cans.
Harvest your fruits regularly. Picking early and often encourages maximum yield. Remove dead plants and rotting vegetables to prevent rodents and other critters from invading the garden. Members may allow plants to go to seed for seed-saving purposes.
Participate in weeding and mulching workdays throughout the season. As part of our community garden, each member is asked to contribute 4 hours of volunteer service per growing season to help maintain our shared garden spaces.
End of Season and Winterizing the Garden
Early September Cover Crop Planting A workshop will be offered to provide information on the benefits of planting cover crops and how to do so. The cost of the seeds is included in the membership fee. The seeds should be planted approximately 30-40 days before the first killing frost.
First Frost A frost occurs when the air temperature drops to or below freezing (32°F), causing water vapor to crystallize on surfaces, even if the air temperature is slightly above freezing. In our area, the first frost typically occurs between October 10 and October 20. Frost can kill or damage warm-season crops like tomatoes, melons, and beans, while cool-season crops thrive in cooler temperatures and can remain in your plot until a hard freeze kills them.
First Freeze A freeze occurs when the air temperature drops to 32°F or lower, which can cause exposed water pipes, hoses, and garden plants to freeze. In our area, the average first freeze typically occurs between October 15 and October 25. Most plants will be damaged or killed by a freeze, but cool-season crops may survive a light freeze (above 28°F). The Team will disconnect and store the garden hoses around this time, and the City Water Department may also shut off the water line.
Mid-November Winterizing Party You can begin clearing your plot anytime as the growing season winds down and cooler temperatures set in. However, by mid-November, all dead plant matter, dormant plants, and non-plant materials (such as string, wire, and cages) must be removed. The straw mulch should remain in the bed. Prepare the plots for the winter by adding amendments, broad forking, and covering them with straw. NOTE: Cool-season crops may still be growing in mid-November and can remain in the plot until December 1st. However, the rest of the bed must be cleared by mid-November).
December 1st Garden Closes for the Winter. All plant matter and personal items must be removed by this date. The garden lock combinations will be changed and new combinations will be provided to members at the start of the next growing season.
Enforcement and Accountability
Actively garden throughout the growing season. If a plot is not properly maintained by the given deadline or if not kept in good condition, you will receive an email warning.
If you are unable to maintain your plot, please notify The Team.
Second Warning Email If the issue is not addressed within 7 days, you will receive a second email warning, giving you an additional 7 days to resolve the problem, along with a reminder of the consequences.
Possible Forfeiture If you do not resolve the issue by the end of the second warning period and fail to provide a valid reason, you may be required to forfeit your plot. Your continued use of the garden is at the sole discretion of The Team. All plots are subject to regular inspections, and failure to follow the rules outlined in the Member Agreement may result in the loss of your garden plot.
Revoking a Membership The decision to revoke a plot is made by The Team, refunds are generally not available.
Eligibility to Sign Up Early for the Next Year Current members must abide by the Agreement and clear and winterize their plot at the end of the season. Registration for the following year opens first to current members, who have the option to keep their same plot. New members are assigned plots on a first-come, first-served basis, with plots assigned randomly.
Your Garden Your Fortress
Lock It Up You will receive the lock combination for the garden gate and tool shed at the Orientation Meeting. Only members that have signed the Member Agreement and paid their fee will receive the combination. Do not share the lock combination with others. Only you and your family are allowed use of the plot. If you reserved a plot for an organization, school, or other group, only authorized members of that group can use the plot. You are responsible for properly locking the tool shed and gate before leaving the garden. Be sure to remind other gardeners when you leave that they are responsible for locking up. The garden gate and tool shed must never be left unlocked when no one is present. To help keep animals out, the garden gate should remain closed, even when members are present.
Contact the Coordinators for any time-sensitive issues. Their contact information is posted inside the tool shed. In case of an emergency, call 911.
Report security and safety issues to the Coordinators Report if the gate or tool shed is left open or unlocked, or if there has been vandalism or theft. Also report any damage to the garden infrastructure, tools, or equipment, or issues with the water system.
Don’t drink the water from the hydrant. It is not suitable for human consumption. However, it is safe for watering gardens and cleaning equipment.
All children are welcome. Children 16 years old and younger must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times. While in the garden children must stay within their own family's plot or on established paths.
Pets are not allowed inside the fenced garden area.
The garden is a smoke-free and alcohol-free area. Loud radios or music are not allowed.
Privacy We will not share your contact information without your prior approval. However, we encourage you to connect with other members in ways you are comfortable with. A list of member names and their plot numbers is posted inside the tool shed. A Members Bulletin Board will be available for leaving messages for other members. The FCG Members FaceBook Group is a members-only platform for connecting and sharing.
Personal Property By using the garden plot, you acknowledge and agree that The Team and the City of Fairfield are not responsible for preserving or protecting your plot. Any loss or damage to your products, property, or any other loss related to the use of the garden plot is your sole responsibility.