Thanks to the 2025 garden survey, several themes emerged for what resources local gardeners would find helpful to grow more, save more, preserve more, and share more.
People Power needed.
That is a tough one, here are a few ideas for us to collectively work on. Look into sharing garden space and knowledge – is there anyone in your neighborhood that doesn’t garden but would help you in exchange for some produce or garden space and to learn from you? Can we tap into the Climate Corp, they are folks in a fellowship with local nonprofits that also have to do volunteer hours in the community? How can we develop more Mutual Aid in our community?
Gardening Materials & Knowledge (workshops, classes, handouts, and websites)
Free Compost Check out Zero Waste Sonoma for the local giveaways and compost hubs
Free Seeds and Knowledge
- Community Seed Exchange grows seeds in their garden and gives the seeds to local gardeners on site, at several libraries, host a yearly Seed Swap each February and offer classes. They run by donation and volunteers.
- Master Gardeners Classes & Website filled with info and they answer questions via email
- Master Food Preservers Classes & Website also has lots of info
Equinox Garden Box Build Event The Sebastopol Grange & Partners host a garden box build and giveaway each spring to encourage gardening especially for new gardeners
The “Plant-A-Tree Cotati“ program helps Cotati residents and business owners purchase shade and fruit trees for their property by reimbursing their initial purchase cost.
Water Resources
- Daily Acts Offers classes, work days to learn and a lot of info on their website on water saving methods such as rain gardens, rain catchment, irrigation, and graywater.
- Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership Resources and programs
- Master Gardeners
Free or low cost Plant Starts – Spring time suggestions
Look for Produce Exchanges where people tend to share their extra plant starts in the spring and look for plant sales with local non profits like Petaluma Bounty, Gardening Clubs, etc.
- Harvest for the Hungry
- Harmony sale tables
- Badger Ranch Starts@badgerranchsebastopol Hwy 116 at Bloomfield Rd
- Sebastopol Grange Produce Exchange / Donation
- Your friends and neighbors
- CalFresh benefits can be used to buy fruit and vegetable seeds and starts at stores and farmers’ markets that accept EBT.
Information on how to share surplus with community
Your neighbors
Offer surplus to your neighbors, it’s a fun way to get to know each other and build community. Some neighborhoods have established a sharing shelf that is routinely used so food doesn’t sit out overnight or in the sun. Also neighborhoods may set up a time and place to have a produce exchange right in the neighborhood. Read how one group of neighbors started a produce exchange that was so fun, they continued to meet as a potluck happy hour during the winter season.
Donation Sites and Tips for Donating
If you have extra produce from your garden and would like to donate it to others, check these lists to look for donation sites near you. It is always important to call donation sites ahead to check on their needs and to deliver produce during their open hours.
- In Sonoma County: Zero Waste Sonoma – Food Recovery Coalition
- In the Sebastopol Area: Produce donation sites