Mission

To provide space for the community to garden collaboratively under organic conditions

To share fresh produce with members of our community confronting food insecurity

To partner with peers and local organizations to provide gardening education, such as workshops and demonstrations

History

The garden sits on a bluff above the Haw River in Southern Alamance county, an area once inhabited by the Sissipihaw, or Haw, Tribe, member of the Saponi Nation. Like for many Indigenous communities on this continent, the arrival of European settlers violently disrupted the Sissipihaw's way of life. As we collaborate on the garden's launch, we are actively exploring opportunities to acknowledge and honor the human history of Saxapahaw, to educate our member base, and to engage respectfully with the local Indigenous community.

Sax Patch Community Garden began as a volunteer effort in early 2021, when community members came together to donate use of the land, water, and materials. We broke ground in the spring and completed construction just in time for fall planting. Over the fall season, the news spread throughout the community, volunteers between the ages of 4-80 tended budding crops, harvests were donated to local food banks twice weekly, and the partnership with Sprout Community was established.

Location

Hilltop Drive, Saxapahaw

Operations

Our current (winter) workdays are Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30pm. We start sessions on time (but don’t be afraid to show up anytime if you’re running late). In warmer months, we will resume workdays on Saturday mornings as well. Please check social media, the signage in front of the garden, or reach out to the contact below for updates from season to season.

All gardeners are welcome—no prior experience required! To join us, please come to any garden work session and ask about being added to the Sax Patch Google Group. We encourage you to bring water and wear weather-appropriate clothing and footwear.

Garden tasks include: weeding, watering, seed sowing, transplanting, bed preparation, path maintenance, record keeping, compost building, invasive plant removal, and staking. Tools will be provided unless a request to bring additional tools is specified

At the end of work sessions, gardeners are encouraged to take home season-dependent and ready-to-harvest crops, like carrots, turnips, collards, etc.

There is currently no membership fee for Sax Patch, but support for our regular fundraising initiatives from members who are able to contribute is encouraged and appreciated.

Stay tuned to social media and the Google Group for canceled work sessions.

Leadership

All members are welcome to take part in garden operations and decision making. Lead members organize several working groups. These include:

· Planting and Garden Maintenance

· Infrastructure

· Communication and Signage

· Compost Building

· Budgeting and Fundraising

· Education

· Food Justice and Donations

During work sessions, “queen bees”—veteran gardeners on the team—oversee tasks during each work session and are available for questions and mentorship.

Contact

saxpatch@gmail.com

Follow us on Instagram: @saxpatch

Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/saxpatch