Summer Potluck at Northside Community Garden

Some of the unsung heroes of the Community Garden program are the gardeners that make up our Leadership Committee.

These garden leaders volunteer their time to help the community gardens thrive, helping host community events, orchestrating workdays for communal spaces, and reaching out to gardens who need extra help or guidance with their plots.

As the Community Gardens Coordinator I work along side the Leadership committee to help them brainstorm, problem solve, and implement their goals for the garden. To gain an insider’s perspective on what this position entails I spoke with members of the Leadership Committee at one of the smallest, yet incredibly vibrant, community gardens: Ivy Street.

The Ivy St. Leadership Committee

"The foundation of a healthy society is the connections individuals have with each other," said Errin, one of the leadership committee members. "I want to be a part of that.”

Errin grew up gardening with their mom and grandma and has continued gardening in Missoula for the past 10 years. "I can share my knowledge, skills, and experiences with others and learn from them," they said.

For Kelly, joining was about taking greater responsibility for the space. "I'm a pretty engaged gardener and it can be really frustrating if someone is not using the compost correctly or there's trash all over the side. And I guess I wanted to take more ownership — of being here and helping other people feel that same kind of passion that I feel."

Robin brings a plethora of leadership experience to the role. "I have been an organizer for my whole adult life — from work, political causes, and recreational fun," she shared. Having gardened since she was 19, the Leadership Committee was a natural place to bring together her organizing skills and her passion for the Ivy Street garden.

Together, Robin, Kelly, and Errin have formed a dedicated leadership team over the past few growing seasons. While they all share a deep love of gardening, each came to the role with their own motivations and experiences.

Community Events

Leadership Committee members plan events throughout the growing season — they have the freedom to dream and make it happen. These events bring life and real connection to the garden, and can take many forms: potlucks, skill shares, crafts, and hands-on garden projects.

Some of the Ivy St. Leadership’s favorite events

For multiple seasons, the group has hosted a garden tour and share evening, inviting participants to walk the garden and share what they're growing in their plots. A sense of pride and ownership really comes to life during these evenings.

Kelly hosted a flower pounding and drying event — hoping to draw new people in. "I want to do more artsy-crafty events at the garden because some people aren't into the heavy work days," they said. Gardeners took fresh flowers from their plots and pounded them onto fabric, transferring the pigment and floral designs to the cloth below.

To celebrate the end of the 2025 season, the three leaders hosted a Stone Soup event. Each participant brought something from their garden — garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, squash — and added it to a shared pot. What began as a simple pot of water slowly warmed into a hearty stew with each contribution.

Kelly reflected on the meaning behind the tradition: “I don't know what the origins are, but the first time I read it was the Strega Nona version, the whole point is that the stone isn't magical, but it helps people break out of their greed and selfishness.” Ending the season with a shared meal made from the gardeners' own harvests was a beautiful symbol of how a community can turn individual effort into collective abundance.

With their different strengths and passions, the team has cultivated not just plants, but a strong sense of community and connection.

The Ivy Steet Native Garden Boulevard

When I asked what their favorite project was, all three had the same answer: the native garden boulevard.

What started as an unoccupied strip where trash, dog waste, and weeds had taken over, the leadership committee saw potential. They reached out to the Garden City Harvest Community Gardens staff to help envision a new use for the space.

Robin especially enjoyed designing the garden borders and collaborating with staff to select native plants best suited for the site. Errin described the early stages: "We've had several events and workdays over the years — volunteers from a variety of organizations helped us remove weeds, weed fabric, and trash to prepare for planting."

Kelly echoed that enthusiasm: "Even though I spent a significant amount of time on it, I could not have finished that alone. I really appreciate it when people band together to make this place more beautiful."

On one landmark gardening day last year, the orange deer fencing finally came down, a last round of weeding was finished, and Montana's state flower — the bitterroot — was in full bloom. Seeing the corridor come to life was a deeply moving moment for Errin: "When this native plant corridor bloomed for the first time, I felt so much pride and achievement! Especially being the one to plant bitterroot roots in the ground and then finally seeing them bloom. There is nothing like it!"

With initiative, hard work, and the support of many volunteers, an empty boulevard became a native plant sanctuary.

Finding Your Role

The title of "leadership committee member" can sound intimidating — like you need to be a born leader. But Kelly shared why having people with diverse strengths is actually the point: "Robin is kind of the leader of the leadership committee because she is fantastic at the organizing stuff. I thrive in hosting gatherings — that's really fun for me. Errin is really focused on the structure and trying to get people to volunteer more."

In practice, the committee functions more like a team, with each person finding their niche. Kelly put it simply: "A new team member is going to have strengths and weaknesses. Maybe it's okay to shift the position to better fit the person." The role isn't rigid — it flows with each individual's interests, skills, and what the garden needs.

Taking time to get to know your fellow committee members helps the team find its rhythm and builds real friendships along the way. As Robin put it: "I have developed some wonderful friendships. I love brainstorming ideas for the garden as well as good old problem solving with others." All three reflected warmly on the connections they've built and how much they've grown as a team over the years.

Trial and Error

Of course, building a thriving community doesn't happen overnight. Behind every successful event or project are moments of uncertainty, low turnout, and the ongoing challenge of maintaining shared spaces.

When asked what they had learned from being on the committee, Kelly was candid: "Before joining, I had pretty high expectations of other people. Being on the leadership committee — seeing people trying their best and it still being a little messy sometimes, there still being garbage on the outside — I think it's helped me relax and realize people are doing their best. Maybe I have more to pitch in some days, and maybe someone else does on others." A crucial part of the garden, they noted, is learning to live in community: recognizing that people have different capacities and trusting that everyone gives what they can when they're able.

Errin's advice for getting gardeners involved: "Try new things and offer a variety of workdays or events to get the most participation. There is truly something for everyone — be patient and get to know everyone in your garden."

Robin kept it practical: "It's not that much work if your committee can divvy up the tasks equitably. And it's wonderful to develop friendships with committee members as well as gardeners."

All three share a belief in patience, empathy, and the slow work of building community. New leaders are often eager to jump in, but it's easy to take on too much too fast. Many projects take several seasons before their impact is fully felt.

The leadership committee organized an outdoor movie night at Milwaukee Trail Community Garden, screening the Parent Trap .

The Value Of the Leadership Committee

The Leadership committee is fundamental in the success of the community gardens. It plays a vital role in shaping not just the physical garden, but the sense of community that makes these spaces so special. Errin summarized the spirit simply: "The leadership committee provides the community part to the community garden. Without it we would just be a group of people renting a spot of land."

Robin reflected on how rare this kind of community has become: “I think Garden City Harvest gardeners are incredibly lucky to be able to garden and become part of a gardening community. I believe that there are not very many opportunities these days to become part of a community especially in these very divisive times in the world.”

Kelly called it the most rewarding volunteer experience of their life. And Erin brought it home: "After every workday or event, I come home with a feeling of accomplishment and connection to the garden and our community. That is a good feeling!"

Interested in taking part?

If you are a community gardener with Garden City Harvest and are interested in joining or learning more about our Leadership Committees, we’d love to hear from you. We are always looking for more hands—whether you’re brand new or a seasoned gardener wanting to get involved. Reach out to Lindsey MacDonald, Community Gardens Director, at lindsey@gardencityharvest.org.

Growing Garden Leaders