Thriving in Partnership

By Carol Berning, Northgate Community Garden Coordinator

As of 2025, Northgate Community Garden is not only one of the HUB Gardens in the Civic Garden Center (CGC) network, but now is connected to the CGC in a direct and long-term relationship. What a blessing this has been for us as we have both the continued use of church-owned property plus a strong CGC management interest and support for our gardeners and our operation. The CGC has signed a long-term lease of the property and has assumed overall management responsibility for the garden.

Northgate Community Garden is thriving in its relationship with the CGC in four important ways:

1) Interest in and Valuing of the Unique Nature of Our Garden

This is an intangible but incredibly powerful benefit. The CGC leadership clearly believes in the mission and importance of Northgate Community Garden and its focus on refugee and immigrant communities that love to garden. There’s nothing like the feeling of being valued to bring out the best in our volunteers! This extends to our gardeners as well, as they are given opportunities to share their gardening knowledge and techniques with others—most recently through HUB Garden classes tailored specifically to their traditions and cultures. In this way, they can feel good about themselves and their capabilities, which is important as they often feel inadequate in a world where the language, the culture and new skills all need to be learned.

2) Expertise and Ideas

There is always more to learn when it comes to gardening. When we have questions, all we need to do is to ask CGC Urban Agriculture Coordinator Misha and we get knowledgeable suggestions and ideas. We also learn as we interact with other gardeners and garden leaders. We’ve learned about cover crops, about pollinators, about crop rotation and specific tips for specific plants. If we were not connected to the CGC, we would not be continually improving and learning.

3) Resources, Tools and Supplies

Both the CGC and other networks we have met through them have provided us with seeds, plants, access to tools and potentially even grant support. We can now keep our plot fees low yet continue to improve the garden for our gardeners. We also benefit from the volunteer coordination of the CGC as large groups of young and energetic volunteers can help us get so much more done than we can do ourselves to keep the garden in good condition!

4) Awareness

Through the HUB Garden educational and culinary events held at our garden, community members get a glimpse of how gardening opportunities can make a positive impact on individuals and families who are new to this country. In addition to these events, this year’s opportunity to share our garden experience with Jennifer Jewell of the radio program and podcast “Cultivating Place” may result in nationwide awareness—and perhaps inspire others to serve new Americans in this way as well.

Northgate Community Garden is looking forward to a long and productive partnership with the Civic Garden Center!

The Civic Garden Center’s network of community gardens includes more than 60 unique spaces. When you support the CGC financially, you’re helping us provide this same kind of support to gardens throughout the Greater Cincinnati area. From us as well as the coordinators of all those gardens—thank you!