The King Farm Community Garden (KFCG) is a Registered Affiliate of the King Farm Citizens Assembly. The goal of the KFCG is to provide the opportunity for King Farm residents to participate in an activity that builds community spirit, provides healthy exercise and food, and improves the environment. To achieve this goal, we endeavor to build good relationships among our members who work together to improve and maintain the garden space and its perimeter, share ideas, seeds, and produce. King Farm residents and the Rockville community benefit from KFCG activities as well. For example, members share produce with their King Farm neighbors and provide Manna produce used to feed the needy of our community.

Occasionally the KFCG organizes presentations (open to all residents), such as tips by Montgomery County Master Gardeners, plans activities for King Farm children, and holds an annual Open House for residents and the Rockville City Council that includes refreshments prepared from the garden bounty. Also, throughout the growing season, when gardeners are working in their plots, they answer informal questions of the many inquisitive neighbors who wander by.

About the King Farm Community Garden:

• The KFCG contains 39 (20′ x 15′) garden plots. 
• To be eligible for plot gardeners must be residents of the City of Rockville. 
• There is an annual non-refundable plot fee of $50.00.
• All gardeners also pay a one-time $100.00 deposit fee, which is refunded after ending a membership if a plot is returned debris fee and ready for the next gardener.
  • Large tools and wheelbarrows are shared by all and stored at the garden.
• In addition, all gardeners must agree to maintain their plots regularly and participate in at least two scheduled group events for maintenance of the common areas of the garden, attend an annual meeting and participate in committee or board responsibilities every four years.

WPCG Garden Plot Information:

The WPCG board also seeks to tap into local diversity by maintaining a “cultural garden“. The culture garden is where we plant vegetables indigenous to various ethnicities in our community. WPCG is located on the southern border of King Farm and all plots receive a full day’s sun.

• The WPCG currently has 22 (15′ x 20′) garden plots.
  • The annual fee per plot is $50; and half plots are $30.
• One garden plot is dedicated to children between the ages of 5 – 12 (a limit of 10 children per household).
  • It is $30.00 per child for the plot (second child from the same family is $15).
• Parents of children will need to participate, but do not need to have a plot in WPCG in order to have their children involved.

For questions, contact Jochen Schaefer j.schaefer@baumann-us.com.

About the Watkins Pond Community Garden:

The Watkins Pond Community Garden is the second community garden to become a Registered Affiliate of the King Farm Citizens Assembly. The goal of WPCG is to provide a hands-on approach to organic gardening for adults and children. Our hope is to encourage our gardeners to be more invested in nature to ensure they become better stewards of the environment. 

We provide learning activities and maintain a circulating library so that all our gardeners, both adults and children, have access to information pertaining to organic gardening techniques including composting and recycling to amend the soil in a natural way. 

We also stress the importance of ” good” bugs as well as how to help rid gardens naturally of “bad” bugs. We strive to show children the connection between their efforts and helping to provide fresh, organic produce to those in need.

In our first year, we were able to donate over 300 pounds of fresh organic produce to a local food pantry. Last season, besides work parties and meetings, we held our first tomato-tasting event with over 34 varieties of organic tomatoes prepared in various ways. Our plan is to continue sharing and educating one another – with the help of multiple resources – in sustainable gardening.