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Community Garden at Allegheny Commons

2026 All Gardeners Meeting

Happy first day of Spring! Read on for a recap of the 2026 All Gardener’s Meeting held March 21st.

Gratitude and Intros

  • Thanks to Sweet Time General Store for letting us use their space to host this meeting
  • Huge thanks to Dennis Ginther and Sarah Bailey for all they have done in building the garden and growing a thriving community
  • Leadership intros, name, role, most interesting plant you’ve grown or would like to
  • Gardener intros, name, new / years at the garden, most interesting plant you’ve grown or would like to

2025 Recap and 2026 Goals

2025 Recap2026 Goals
– Welcomed 11 new gardeners
– Added 5 new beds and replaced the majority of existing garden posts
– Harvested 264 lbs of produce (2024 550+ lbs)
– Produced 4 new hives and collected 80 gallons of honey
– Added an orchard with 4 new trees and a cherry bush, free from Tree Pittsburgh
– Compost bin upgrade, 2x capacity
– Introduction of a sink
– Refinished picnic tables
– Rat problem & bee aggression		– Onboard 7 new gardeners, and 2 returning gardeners
– Operate more effectively
– Maintain garden bed quality
– Engage more with the community
– Manage bee aggression and rats
– Accurately track produce harvests
– Increase garden involvement
– Empower leads and volunteers

Mission and Vision

“Growing together for a healthier, greener, and more connected community”

We are an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable community garden that provides accessible growing opportunities for residents, businesses, and organizations across the Northside, Northshore and the greater Pittsburgh area. We aim to provide access to fresh food, education, environmental stewardship, and social connection— empowering people of all backgrounds to grow together and nourish both land and community

The Allegheny Commons Community Garden committee seeks to develop a best in class, accessible, inclusive and sustainable raised bed garden and as such it will:

  • Manage and maintain our 54 raised gardening beds to promote use by gardeners with varied abilities and mobility
  • Engage gardeners, volunteers and governance members from the diverse surrounding communities
  • Strengthen community relationships across physical and social barriers
  • Promote the health and well‐being of participants
  • Encourage reciprocal economic connections with nearby businesses.
  • Improve the gateway to Allegheny Commons Park, Deutschtown and the Northside
  • Provide space to host appropriate social, educational, and cultural events in an area facing systemic barriers

Administrative Updates

  • These notes will be emailed out later today
  • Lock combination
  • Finalized plot assignments: 2026 Community Garden Plot Assignments Map.pdf
  • New gardener orientation will be on spring planting day
  • Google Groups are setup for all future communications to gardeners, available for gardeners to contact leads
  • Volunteering emphasis
  • Volunteer led organization, without volunteers there is no community garden
  • Too often it is the same folks volunteering
  • Challenge folks to step up but not yet required
  • It is not a job! Volunteering can take many forms, big and small
  • There will be a large variety of opportunities for all different skills and abilities

Community Outreach – Carol Schiller

  • Promote education through visuals, art installations, events, and demonstrations
  • Increase engagement with local groups
  • Blend social media and education together. 
  • Promote education with visuals, art installations, events, demonstrations. 
  • Children, Churches, Park Rangers, etc: hoping to partner on events
  • Communication and Media: increase collaboration, signage
  • No Arbour Day in the Allegheny Commons Park this year but there will be a tree planting on April 11
    • (looking for volunteers once event details are finalized)
  • Asphalt mural: no update on grant funding yet, more to come 
  • Social media: more involvement

Gardening – Dennis Farren

  • Expected last frost April 30th (last year was actually the 16th)
  • Expected first frost October 21st
  • Spring planting day is April 18th
  • New gardener walk through at spring planting
  • Summer planting day is May 16th
  • Seedlings from Jan, signup up will be sent out
  • Harvest Tally emphasis
    • Important for grants and reporting to the city
  • Water usage emphasis
    • Important for being ecologically responsible, ensuring the city continues to allow us to use the water free, and prevent excess deterioration of raised garden bed frames
  • Compost will be available, first come first served
    • Please follow guidelines! Cut down to 6 inches, no yard waste, no dog waste. Kitchen scraps in black bin. No cooked food, no meat or dairy products.
  • Reminders
    • We are an organic garden. No inorganic pesticides are allowed
    • No raw manure is allowed in the garden, composted manures must be approved by the compost master

Maintenance – Phil Hake

  • Garden Bed Repairs  – 9 am Saturday/Sunday Mornings in March & April until complete
  • Garden Cleanups – 9 am March 28th, Aug 22nd, and as needed throughout the season
  • Garden Locks – Do not leave on code when open, make sure lock is secure when leaving, contact maintenance if locks are sticking

Programs

Projects

If you have ideas for projects or would like to take the lead on a project let the committee know

  • Garden bed rebuild and new large shared bed at the entrance
  • Mural
  • Gate accessibility improvements
  • Signage
  • Water lines
  • Implement measures to reduce rat
  • Seed library
  • Projects Tracker
  • Welcome new ideas!

Finances – Leslie Hake & Art Perkins

  • Grants
  • Donations – website, mailed check, cash in person, card reader in person

Special Events – Melissa Kus

  • Easter Egg Hunt – April 4th
  • Deutschtown Pride – June 7th
  • Possibly an early summer low key fundraiser
  • Friends to Garden Dinner Fundraiser – August 29th
  • Halloween Kids Party – TBD
  • Lots of opportunity for volunteering to help with planning, clean up, day of

Community Nights – Jenn Paliani

  • April 30th kickoff catered by Jen Saffron’s Spezzatura
  • Starts around 6-6:30, show up any time
  • Main dish signup
  • Potluck, BYOB
  • Consider making a donation if you are not bringing something – funds available to help with main course costs
  • Local establishments until the 30th or during poor weather
  • Putting together a community garden cookbook
  • Community Nights Tracker

Media Presence – Mary Yepez

Closing

  • Roles looking for activity leads
  • Q & A
  • Volunteer interest signups

Discussion Notes

**Mayfly Grand Opening is TODAY! 12-7, 4-7 for more special celebration

Gardening (Dennis Farren)

  • Some ideas for updating the Harvest Talley/scale
  • Bushells of flowers
  • Food donation
  • Honey may count
  • Move weigh station to the exit
  • Can weigh at home and log online
  • Little Library – food donations on the outside?

Maintenance

Programs/Projects

  • Can recycling: Mike Cottle collects and recycles cans used at the garden (not ready for bringing from home yet) and donates the proceeds to the garden
  • Soil Lead Testing: Rosemary will send out an email, drop off May 1-10, bin will be provided
  • Composting: Rosemary – see emails
  • Orchard: Cindy
  • Bees: Bryan – Split early & often, Honey spinning events
  • Education: Art – many opportunities to get together, learn and get involved!
  • Interest in Grant Writing – contact Nat/Art