Civic Gardener Development Training

Interested in growing food where you are? Whether you’re a backyard gardener or a community gardener, no matter your level of experience, attending the CGC’s Civic Gardener Development Training (CGDT) is the first step!

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A group of people works together to plant new garden beds.
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Sitting outdoors, several people watch while a garden construction technique is demonstrated.
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The Details

CGDT runs for 12 sessions from January through April and is free to anyone interested. Topics the training covers include seed starting, regenerative agriculture, funding your garden project, integrated pest management, construction techniques and more. The series ends with a practicum.

    • Wednesday, January 13, 6-8pm: Introduction to Growing Food in Urban Spaces with Kymisha Montgomery (CGC)

    • Wednesday, January 20, 6-8pm: Funding Your Garden with Henry (TRE) Sheldon (City of Cincinnati), Michaela Werling (USDA), & John Williams (USDA)

    • Wednesday, January 27, 6-8pm: Civic Engagement Training with Victoria Hennings (CGC)

    • Wednesday, February 3, 6-8pm: Garden Planning with Kymisha Montgomery (CGC)

    • Wednesday, February 10, 6-8pm: Regenerative Gardening & Soil Health with Carter Spires (Central State University)

    • Wednesday, February 17, 6-8pm: Orchard Basics with Chris Smyth (Common Orchard Project)

    • Wednesday, February 24, 6-8pm: Seed Starting with Mary Dudley (CGC) & Kymisha Montgomery (CGC)

    • Wednesday, March 3, 6-8pm: Plant Disease & Integrated Pest Management with Luis Aguilar-Dwyer (CGC) & Kymisha Montgomery (CGC)

    • Wednesday, March 10, 6-8pm: Seed Saving with Katie Chase (ORVSC)

    • Wednesday, March 17, 6-8pm: Agricultural Entrepreneurs with Shannon Carr (Isaiah 55) & Jeannie Wright (Sovereignty Gardens)

    • Saturday, March 27, 10am-12pm: Construction Techniques for Gardens

    • Saturday, April 3, 10am-12pm: Practicum

Those who attend this training to become vegetable garden coordinators / managers and meet site and program requirements are eligible to register their garden sites in our network. Participants must attend at least nine of the sessions to earn a certificate.

How to Apply

Applications for 2027 are now open! Click below to complete yours.

APPLY NOW

Questions? Reach out to Kymisha Montgomery: kmontgomery@civicgardencenter.org

CGDT is sponsored in part by the Meshewa Farm Foundation.