Several Rose Roots Gardeners attended the online Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) Annual Symposium on Feb 15, 2021. We were reminded our parent organization has a lot to offer Rose Roots gardeners!
A little about DUG:
The DUG network is comprised of 180+ community gardens throughout Metro Denver, including 74 school-based community gardens and the Delaney Community Farm. Their goal is to ensure that all gardens are developed by the local community, must be set up for the long-term, and are organically grown and cared for.
How DUG Supports Our Gardens (from DUG Leader Training resources)
Cultivates community-driven garden leadership, including volunteer gardener leader recruitment and placement
Provides garden maintenance support
Provides fiscal management of garden accounts (when requested)
Provides liability insurance coverage for gardens and serve as a liaison between gardens and city officials, agencies, and water providers
Establishes working relations with garden property owner agencies and negotiate and maintain garden site use agreements
Coordinates volunteer groups and supervise large maintenance and improvement projects
Mediates inter-community gardener conflicts as requested
Organizes peer-to-peer networking and learning events for gardeners and garden leaders
Resources offered to Rose Roots Gardeners:
Mighty networks: Can download the App and join the DUG network
Community DUG Space: https://community.dug.org/feed
DUG Calendar: Can share our local events to promote on DUG calendar.
Faces of DUG Story (From a Youth Educator who let virtual cooking classes): HTTPS://dug.org/meet-latera/
Pick up Seeds: Schedule a time to pick up for Growing for Donations Seeds (We have, as a garden, already signed up to receive seeds and seedlings that will be available to gardeners in the barn at the start of the season).
DUG You Tube Education Channel:
Symposium Speakers:
-Linda Appel Lipsius: DUG’s executive director: interested in visiting our garden. Working on scheduling a Spring garden visit.
-Lara Fahnstock: Director of Garden Support: https://community.dug.org/members/3583240
-Nessa Mogharreban: Physical Infrastructure and Community Engagement
-Laura Calderon: volunteer coordinator, Spanish translator: dug.volunteerhub.com
-“Jungle” Judy Elliott: compost training coordinator, sign up for composting session.
-Rob Payo: director of k-12 education, short videos of activities “Fizzles”, rob@dug.org
Gardening Benefits:
-Food Access
-Gardens building community, micro-communities
-Climate action: greened over 30 acres of Denver land
-Skill building: epicenters for k-12 education, leadership training, workshops,
-Health and Well-being: physical and mental benefits
-Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI)
Ongoing DUG Goals:
Strengthening access for underserved communities: putting garden in every community
Amplify our network: with community and corporate partners/sponsorships
Leadership trainings are approaching and are noted on the Rose Roots Calendar. Email leadership@roserootsgarden.org if you’d like to take on a leadership role and participate in any upcoming trainings offered by DUG.
Rose Roots Calendar: https://www.roserootsgarden.org/events
Denver Urban Gardens Calendar: https://dug.org/events/
Note: Online Garden Registration for a Plot is now available through DUG, however our Membership coordinator will be sending out instructions for registration in the upcoming newsletter, so keep an eye out for that before you register.
