Washington County Community Garden

10/11/2026

Congrats to what is most likely Washington County Community Garden‘s last Garlic Planting 101 Class!

As an Ozaukee Master Gardeners’ project, our primary focus is on education, and we do it in spades all year long at the WCCG through frequent informational emails and in-person sessions such as garlic planting.

It is a bit early to plant garlic IMO, especially with these unseasonably warm temperatures. The goal is to have the clove set roots but not tops. I will probably plant at the end of the month or first weekend in November and then mulch heavily with 5 inches or more of straw or pine needles.

10/09/2026

Sometimes it’s about Emily Jordan leaving a zinnia bouquet in our plot, other times it’s about insects “napping”, resting, or foraging on flowers, and still other times it’s ALL ABOUT Cheryl Boyer’s dahlias.

10/04/2026

Community gardens are: members stepping up to clean out a plot which had not been used for two years, wearing a zinnia on a sunny Sunday morning, and in the case of the Washington County Community Garden, education! Next Saturday, 10.10 at 10AM I will do a quick garlic planting class. Not a member? No problem! Stop by, take a walk through to see how we put the gardens to bed for the winter and learn all about planting garlic! Hope to see you there.

09/24/2026

UPDATE: We received notice yesterday that the WCCG can stay in place for one more year. Beyond that, no idea of where we will be or how things will play out. KEEP the letters and calls going, friends. This is not settled. Moreover, thanks bushels and pecks of fresh, homegrown produce to all for your support.

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09/22/2026

A follow up to the June segment.

Washington County plans to build housing on community garden plots, offering $100K to relocate, but members said it feels like a shutdown.

09/17/2026

Here is the Washington County Insider’s piece on the WCCG. It even has music!!!

When the almighty dollar takes precedent over a bunch of old people that like to garden, that is really terrible,” Jonas said. Read more at https://www.washingtoncountyinsider.com/community-gardens-more-housing/

09/15/2026

Dear FB Followers:

Despite the recommendation of an Advisory Task Force, the Washington County Board Executive Committee under the direction of the County Administrator, Josh Schoemann, decided this spring to eliminate the Washington County Community Garden so as to collect taxes from the houses to be built on our site.

The County plans to spend $100,000 to move us to a place yet to be determined, and we have no idea whether or not we will be allowed to garden at our current site in 2027.

If you follow this page, you are well aware of who we are and what we do, but in case you need some numbers:

*We harvest over 8,000 pounds of food annually with a value of over $34,000.
*All work is done by volunteers with a current $34 per hour value. We collectively volunteer around 300 hours per year with an economic value of over $10,000.
* The 2026 economic value of the program is predicted to be approximately $44,000 (produce and volunteer time)
* Over our 19 years, it is fair to say that our economic impact has been around $500,000.
* Around 4,000 people have gardened at the WCCG during the past 19 years either as individuals or members of family groups or organizations.

The one thing which cannot be measured is the community which we have built. Without regard to who you are or what you believe, we come together to garden, to share produce and ideas, to laugh, and—on occasion to cry.

Today I am crying.

If you have any general thoughts about the WCCG, your experiences at the gardens, or the importance of the gardens to yourself and the community as a whole which you are willing to share publicly, now is the time to do so.
Letters to the editor,
([email protected])
Calls to County (Board members and contact info here); https://www.washcowisco.gov/departments/county_board and
City officials (Council members and contact info here): https://www.westbendwi.gov/government/elected_officials/west_bend_common_council/index.php
I was told by a community garden organizer that one or two calls mean nothing to elected officials; five, six, or more can make a difference.

To be clear, the purpose of this post is to
create a community dialogue that would encourage the County Board follow the original recommendation to keep the Washington County Community Garden where it is.

Thanks.

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