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A New Year Welcomes New Staff (and Promotions)!

By News

As we ring in 2024, we are delighted to announce several exciting staff changes at DUG. These changes reflect the growth and maturing of the organization as well as the high-quality work our exceptional team does every day to cultivate food, community, and climate resilience on a human scale.

Amy Daly – Senior Director of External Affairs

Amy will oversee DUG’s development (fundraising) and marketing/communications teams. Amy brings years of experience leading both functions at some of Denver’s greatest organizations including Next50, Project Angel Heart and Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. In addition to all of her other responsibilities, she’ll be bringing DUG’s individual giving to life, inviting our broader community to support our work through monthly or yearly contributions as well as legacy gifts. Amy reports to Linda Appel Lipsius, Executive Director.

Kristi Hatakka – Compost Manager

Kristi is a Garden Leader at Greenway Community Garden and a Community Composter (formerly a Master Composter). She came to DUG in 2023 to support DUG’s compost education efforts as Denver’s Pay-as-you-throw compost program came online. In this new role, Kristi will continue supporting the Community Composter Training Program and will continue to elevate composting education and communications at DUG. Kristi reports to “Jungle” Judy Elliott, Community Education Director.

Taylor Kibble – Garden Projects Manager

Taylor came to DUG as a DUG Corps Member in the class of 2022. She stayed on as Physical Infrastructure Coordinator throughout 2023, implementing our HDR grant which installed sustainability features at 20 DUG gardens, leading workdays, and answering garden requests for maintenance and improvements. In her new role, she’ll continue to define what a DUG workday looks like, set procedures for responding to garden requests and needs, and welcome and train a 2024 DUG Corps Member. Taylor is on the Gardens Team and reports to Lara Fahnestock, Director of Garden Operations.

Niko Kirby – Director of Education Strategy & Engagement

Niko has been with DUG for 3.5 years as Director of Marketing & Communications. When we identified a juicy opportunity to do more with our education and skill-building across all programs, Niko was the perfect fit. This role combines Niko’s demonstrated comms prowess with her years of prior experience designing curricula. Niko reports to Linda Appel Lipsius, Executive Director.

Marisa Loury – Volunteer Projects Manager

Marisa also came to DUG as a 2022 DUG Corps Member. She stayed on in 2023 as Volunteer Coordinator to refine and enhance DUG’s volunteer program, giving greater structure and support to her teammates and the volunteer community. Notably, Marisa also launched the long-anticipated SPOT (special projects) volunteer program which activates community members for ongoing engagement with DUG. It’s been a runaway success! This year, she’ll onboard a new volunteer management software and continue to build out the overall program. Marisa is on the Development Team and reports to Nessa Mogharreban, Director of Corporate Partnerships.

Osiris Mancera – Bilingual Marketing Manager

Osiris will be overseeing external marketing and communications to support the success of all DUG programs. Osiris brings years of experience managing digital marketing with a sustainability and climate action lens as well as in academic translation inspired by their cultural upbringing. While newer to the world of gardening, Osiris is eager to get their hands dirty and learn all that a gardening season has to offer. Osiris reports to Amy Daly, Senior Director of External Affairs.

Sue Mathison – IT & Salesforce Manager

Sue’s been working with us throughout 2023 in support of our Salesforce/Data project and will now be officially joining the DUG staff. Sue’s experience with IT and systems management combined with her years of Garden Leadership at Samuels Elementary makes her a one-of-a-kind solution for DUG as we optimize our systems and double down on our commitment to highly responsive support for our gardeners and garden leaders. Sue is on the Operations Team and reports to Brit Pimentel, Director of Operations.

Daniel Maynard – Office Coordinator

Many of you have had the pleasure of interacting with Daniel on the phone or as you walk into the office. As he comes on as a full-time staff member, Daniel will continue to be “the face of DUG,” while diving deeper into operations and program support. He’ll be on-site at all Friday workdays too! Daniel is on the Operations Team and reports to Brit Pimentel, Director of Operations.

Shay Moon – Food Access Manager

Shay came to DUG in 2023 to support our Grow a Garden Program and Plant Sales. The year saw exciting growth in both programs in terms of people served and sophistication. Grow a Garden added a mentorship program and Culturally Inclusive Seeds were added to our overall “resource” offer. As Food Access Manager, Shay will continue to support all of DUG’s Food Access Programming while refining and expanding our reach. Shay is on the Food Access Team and reports to Linda Appel Lipsius, Executive Director.

Justin Evans – Advisory Council

Justin Evans is an expert on using data to generate growth. He is the author of the forthcoming The Little Book of Data: The Nine Ways We Unleash Our Data Superpowers(Harper Leadership), and is the leader of award-winning innovation teams that access companies’ untapped data and create value. Currently the Head of Analytics & Insights for Samsung Ads, a division of Samsung, Justin’s team has generated hundreds of millions in revenue by helping Fortune 100 brands achieve success in streaming TV advertising, using data and insights. Before Samsung, Justin held roles at Effectv, a division of Comcast, where he supported a $2.5 billion advertising business with responsibilities spanning analytics and product management; as well as the Nielsen Company, and at venture capital-backed startups. A frequent conference speaker and regular contributor to industry publications, Justin serves as an advisor to Infosum, a data “cleanroom” technology company, and Denver Urban Gardens, a nonprofit dedicated to better local outcomes in food, community, and climate. Justin received a Master of Business Administration degree from NYU Stern and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn.

Please join us in congratulating all of these incredible changes at DUG as we start the new year. We are beyond thrilled about the immense changes and growth to come with the support of our team.

Meet the rest of our team on the DUG Meet Our Team Page!

Photo of a GrowOya watering pot underground being used

25 Gifts that Support Companies Doing Good (2023 Holiday Gift Guide)

By News
Photo of a GrowOya Watering Pot in a garden

The holiday season is a time for connecting with loved ones and making memories that last for years to come. At DUG, one of our pillars is ‘Community’ which we thought was a perfect theme for this year’s Holiday Gift Guide. What better way to nourish our community than by supporting it?

Here is our specially curated list of 25 gifts from brands we love (including us!) that make a difference and reflect the values we hold dear. Each one of them is made at a company that cares about the impact they have through their products and we hope you love them as much as we do.

Happy holidays!

Gifts for the Avid Gardener

1. Canvas Tote from Denver Urban Gardens ($20)

We love this tote because it’s made with 100% organic cotton and is perfect for holding all of your gardening tools. Your gift recipient is sure to love all the pockets and the beautiful design!

2. Watering Pot from GrowOya ($34.95 – $54.95)

This watering pot saves garden watering up to 70% and is made from a porous clay formula. Imagine placing this in your garden amongst your gorgeous flowers this spring!

3. Calming Skin Creme from Juniperseed Mercantile ($17 – $30)

This moisturizing skin cream is packaged in a reusable and recyclable container and features skin-loving avocado and apricot oil. It’s the perfect way to nourish skin after a long day in the sun (and in the dirt!).

4. Plastic Plus Plan from Ridwell (starts at $18)

If you’re in the Denver Metro Area, this is the perfect solution to responsibly disposing of hard-to-recycle plastics. Not only are you keeping plastic from the landfill, but you’re practicing earth-loving values that transfer to the garden too!

Gifts for Ultimate Comfort

5. Beanie from Denver Urban Gardens ($30)

Our locally sourced signature beanie comes in various colors and features post-consumer plastic and vegan leather. Stay warm all winter long and support the good work we do year-round!

6. Botanical Art Notecard Set from Botanical Interest ($13.99)

This beautiful notecard set is printed on FSC-certified paper and is wrapped in compostable packaging. This is the ideal gift for the romantic who can spend hours sitting on the porch writing letters to loved ones – how sweet!

7. Body Care Bundle by EarthLinks ($55)

This beautifully curated bundle is handcrafted from locally harvested beeswax and includes a rich oil content recipe for optimal moisturizing. Care for your skin the best way you can and support an organization working to transform lives!

8. Organic Hot Teas from Teatulia Organic Teas ($19.95 – $21.95)

Not only are these teas delicious and soothing, but they’re also packaged plastic-free in paper tea bags. Plus, Teatulia is B Corp, Rain Forest Alliance, and Fair Trade™ Certified so you know you can trust them to do what’s right!

Did you know DUG’s Executive Director, Linda, is the co-founder of Teatulia? 

The Perfect Stocking Stuffers

9. Sticker from Denver Urban Gardens ($4)

Our stickers are high-quality and die-cut with beautiful imagery. They’re the perfect add-on to your water bottle, favorite notebook, or wheelbarrow!

10. Herb Variety Pack from MASA Seed Foundation ($4)

Their seed packets are rigorously selected heirloom and traditional food plant varieties that are adaptive to climate shifts and Denver’s sturdy Front Range soils. This bundle comes with various herbs, including santo cilantro and lemon bergamot. You won’t go wrong picking one (or two) packets for stocking stuffer additions!

11. Steeped Coffee 5 Pack from Unravel Coffee ($16)

This two-stitch blend features Colorado roasted and nitro-sealed coffee packs perfect for having your coffee on the go. Plus, the packaging is compostable!

12. Plantable Pencils – Herb Edition from Sprout Pencils ($11.99)

These biodegradable and high-quality graphite pencils bundle all your favorites: Basil, Rucola, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme seeds. These are the perfect stocking stuffer for kids!

Gifts over $100

13. Birdies 6-in-1 Raised Garden Bed from Denver Urban Gardens ($150)

These incredible garden beds are made with cold-roiled galvanized steel and feature a high-quality and durable Aluzinc coating. Plus, DUG sells them at a reduced price so you get a great gift and save some money too!

14. Smart Standard Growframe from modern sprout ($219)

These incredible frames feature full-spectrum LED light so your plants can thrive in your home. They’re also proudly made in the USA and include a smart app to make growing even easier!

15. Olivewood Root Salad Bowl from Verve Culture ($198)

This gorgeous salad bowl is artisan made from sustainably sourced Italian olivewood which gives each piece its unique finish. This gift is perfect for the friend who’s always hosting or makes an incredible fresh salad in the summertime!

16. Women’s Re-Tool Hybrid Pullover Fleece from Patagonia ($269)

This fleece pullover is made from recycled polyester, making it light on your footprint but incredibly warm on frosty days. It’s also made in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory!

17. Pinecones & Butterflies Luxe Faux Fur Blanket from Parks Project ($150)

This stylish blanket comes with its own carrying case (pictured above) and is made from 100% recycled polyester polar fleece. It’s perfect for rainy day reading, delicious outdoor picnics, and more!

Gifts for the Traveling Enthusiast

18. Tote Bag from Alvéole ($16)

This lightweight tote is made from 100% cotton, making it travel-friendly! Plus, supporting Avéole means supporting bee conservation in urban spaces.

19. Organic Lip Balm from Spinster Sisters ($7.99)

This lip balm comes packaged in an FSC-certified paperboard tube. The formula is also Certified USDA Organic and comes in various scents (or none at all!).

20. AllTrails+ Subscription from AllTrails ($35.99)

AllTrails’ newest subscription offering can be emailed or customized and comes with additional perks beyond the free membership like real-time maps and wrong-turn alerts. This gift is perfect for a friend who loves hiking and spending time outdoors!

21. National US Parks Pass ($80)

This pass is the ideal way to support conservation efforts for our incredible U.S. national parks. It also gives you access to paid federal parks, paying for itself after a few visits!

Gifts for the Animal Lover

22. Save the Bees Protection Sleeves from Farmer’s Defense ($27.48)

Every purchase made at Farmer’s Defense restores 10ft2 of pollinator habitat. Plus, these sleeves offer UPF 50+ protection and are made from 85% REPREVE™ Polyester.

23. Honeybee Phone Case from Pela ($59.95)

These durable phone cases are made from flax, giving them a flexible and easy-to-clean quality. Pela also donates a percentage of their profits to Ocean Cleanup and Preservation Initiatives.

24. Socks that Protect Animals from Conscious Step ($44.95)

These animal-loving socks are made from GOTS Certified Organic Cotton. Plus, this 3-pack sock bundle donates to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors. They’re the perfect gift for the friend that likes to be stylish, cozy, and make a difference!

25. Cabbage Patch Notebook from Decomposition ($11)

These durable notebooks are made from 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper and are printed with soy ink. They can be used for school, work, personal organization, doodling, and more! Who wouldn’t love a notebook covered in cabbage and rabbits?

We hope you were able to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list this year!

Cheers to the end of a wonderful year and the start of an even better one – we couldn’t have done it without you.

Pho

Colorado Senators Pay DUG a Visit to Celebrate EPA Grant

By News
Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet looking at the worm compost bin with DUG's Jungle Judy.

We are thrilled to celebrate this achievement in community and energize toward action and positive change. 

On Tuesday, November 21st, DUG welcomed Colorado Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, as well as Councilwoman Torres, to the El Oasis de Lorraine at Focus Points Family Resource Center Community Garden. At the celebration, we shared DUG’s history, presented our expansive programming, and discussed our future plans for the EPA grant. 

In 2023, DUG received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). DUG was one of 5 grant recipients from the EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program as part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, where the program’s grants totaled almost $4 million.

With the generous grant, DUG plans to expand our efforts through community garden and food forest expansion into six neighborhoods in West Denver, including Barnum, Barnum West, Sun Valley, Valverde, Villa Park, and West Colfax. Planting successful and community-maintained fruit-bearing forests and community gardens in an area of Denver with low tree canopy is a way to reduce the heat island effect, regenerate urban land, and promote healthy food access to the Denver metro area. With the grant, DUG plans to build at least six community gardens and nine food forests, expanding from our current 200 community gardens and 20 food forests (as of November 2023).

In this pivotal moment in DUG’s 45-year history, it was important for us to host at one of our beloved gardens. Having been an active community garden within the DUG network since 2012, El Oasis de Lorraine at Focus Points Family Resource Center Community Garden was an ideal choice. The event began with welcomes from DUG’s Director of Corporate Partnerships, Nessa Mogharreban, who acknowledged the positive impact the Colorado senators had on making this dream a reality.

“We want to thank our Colorado senators for their support and stewardship of the EPA grant. We’re incredibly excited to put the funds to work to enhance public health and environmental justice in Denver’s West Area, which is represented by Councilwoman Torres.” — Nessa Mogharreban, Director of Corporate Partnerships (DUG)

Multiple photos from the Senators' visit to DUG garden El Oasis de Lorraine

The morning continued with DUG representatives, Kelly and Jolon, sharing DUG’s incredible history and program growth with the crowd. Councilwoman Torres and  DUG’s Director of Gardens, Lara, followed with an explanation on the Denver West Area Plan and the anticipated positive impact of the EPA grant in the area. Lara shared information on the positive environmental and health benefits of food forests and community gardens, including increased biodiversity and carbon sequestration. We rounded out the event with DUG composting wizards “Jungle Judy” and Kristi sharing a hands-on worm composting demo that we could not get enough of. With dozens of community members and volunteers, nonprofit and government partners, and more, we relished in the chilly air, enjoyed hot coffee, and got dirty with worms (Senator Hickenlooper even dug his hands in to pick out a squirmy worm to show the kids).

Stay tuned with our DUG Digest news articles or on Instagram to follow our progress!

Additional Resources

We also wanted to give a big “thank you” to our community gardeners and volunteers, as well as Conservation Colorado, Denver Parks & Recreation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FEED Media, and Focus Points Family Resource Center for all of your support in organizing, hosting, attending, and celebrating with us! 

Photo of Master Composter class of 2023 at the 2023 Harvest Happy Hour

Our 2023 Harvest Happy Hour Celebrates Our Volunteers!

By News

Thank you to all of our volunteers who supported DUG’s 2023 programming!

As a way to celebrate and appreciate the amazing work our community has done this past year, DUG hosted our annual Harvest Happy Hour in early November at Zeppelin Station in Denver’s RiNo Arts District. More than 200 volunteers showed up for the event from across various programs, including our Tree Keepers, Master Composters (now Community Composters), Garden Leaders, and more! At the event, we cheered, handed out awards (see the list below for winners), ate incredible food, and passed out door prizes.

Photo of Master Composter class of 2023 celebrating at the 2023 Harvest Happy Hour

Read below to see all of our award categories and winners!  

Our Volunteers
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once Volunteers: Haley and Aidan
  • Garden Club Volunteers: Sarah and Lisken 
  • SPOT Volunteers: Our amazing power couple, Ann and Jeff!
  • Workday Heroes: Bill and Dean 
Garden & Garden Leaders Awards
  • 1st Year Gardens: South Lakewood Elementary (Garden Leaders – Cassie and Jennie)  and Cheyenne Arapaho Park (Garden Leaders – Satya and Nathan)
  • Resiliency: Focus Points (Garden Leaders – Brandon and Solomon) and Montbello Five Loaves (Garden Leader – Denise) 
  • Transformation: McMeen (Garden Leader –  DeziRae), Honor (Garden Leader – Sun Mi), Blue Spruce (Garden Leader – Kristine), and Wyman at DC21 (Garden Leaders – Max and Anna) 
2023 DUG Corps

Christina, Kourtnie, Rayanna, and Sarah

Tree Keepers 
  • Wheat Ridge – for excellence and leadership in community integration and food sharing: Miranda and Charlotte 
  • Samuels – for high site standards and leadership in perennials management: Lindsey
  • Tennessee Gateway – for dedication, creativity, and persistence in the face of unique challenges: Ruth, Kyle, and Cassandra 
  • Program Champions – for special and sustained effort in supporting Tree Keepers and the Food Forest Initiative as a whole: Bill and Krystyn “Yy” 
Master Composters

A special thank you to our 2023 Master Composters for all of the work they put in to dive deep into all things composting, recycling, and community engagement. In this ten-session course, participants learned about the science of composting, resource conservation, and how to use recycled materials to support gardening efforts. Please celebrate our graduating class of 2023, including: Anna, Brittney, Christina, Dean, Diana, Donna, Estevan, Jessica, Kris, Kristy, Laurie, Leah, Marlee, Mia, Michelle, Natasha, Rob, Ryan, Sami, Taylor, Tom, and Zoe! 

Want to join our 2024 Community Composters Training? Fill out this interest form, and we’ll notify you when applications open!

We want to thank everyone who supported this event and especially our 1,368 volunteers (plus 25 SPOT volunteers!) who collectively worked over 4,773 hours to support various DUG programs in 2023! 

We would also like to give a special thanks to the following brands and organizations for helping make this event happen:

  • Alveóle, for tabling and providing a delicious honey tasting as well as educating our guests about the importance of beehive colonies and beekeeping in Denver
  • Balcony Buddies, for donating various colorful railing gardens for our door prizes!  
  • EUREKUS, for donating incredible educational tech bloom kits for our door prizes!  
  • GrowOya, for donating 6 Oya Watering Pots for our volunteer door prizes – these watering pots help slowly supply water to garden plants all year round!
  • le’ Bakery Sensual, for the incredible worm cake they made for our Master Composters – they truly are the coolest cakes in Denver!
  • r.Cup, for bringing reusable water cups for guests to use to minimize plastic waste
  • Scraps, for providing composting services to ensure our event was as low waste as possible
  • The Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, & Resiliency (CASR) for their generous donation to help make this event possible!  
  • Wag Hotels, for donating pup-friendly boarding stays for our door prizes!
  • Zeppelin Station, for offering up their space for us to use and for donating specially-curated bar drinks for our guests (and for our board member, Adam Larkey, for making it happen!)

Alvéole, Building Community Around Bees

By News

Community gardens are green oases in an urban environment. The perfect place for bees and other pollinators to find food and shelter.

Our partnership with Alévole aims to build awareness around the importance of green urban spaces as habitat to promote biodiversity that supports the vital work of pollinators, and other beneficial insects, as part of more sustainable cities and food systems.

Alvéole’s mission is to reconnect people with nature in cities by making people fall in love with bees. Working with honeybees as ambassadors to build ecological awareness and their connection with our agricultural system. Falling in love with honeybees allows us to open our eyes to the many bees and other pollinators in our environment. In Colorado, there are 946 native species of bees, out of more than 20,000 around the world. 

We chatted with Tasha Wilson, Alvéole Beekeeping Team Manager here in Denver, about their work and the partnership with Denver Urban Gardens. This interview had been condensed.

How did the DUG + Alvéole partnership begin?  

In 2021, Alvéole started working with 1% for the Planet and using their standardized system and support to allow all of our cities across North America & Europe to partner with environmental organizations that were local to them.  We  value doing meaningful work and this partnership allows us to make meaningful community impacts with one of the best Denver environmental organizations.

DUG is greening our urban environment and adding to the biodiversity helping protect habitat for our pollinators. Many urban gardens are tucked in spaces that were previously underutilized. We do the same thing, we tuck beehives in underutilized urban locations, so our missions align.

The Denver Alvéole team has been a constant in many of our events, could you speak about this part of the partnership?

We work to connect people with nature through bees and so they will protect our environment in their daily lives. Participating in DUG events through volunteering has offered us opportunities to connect with people in a wide variety of ways . Our 1% for the Planet partnership requires us to donate 1% of our revenue to an environmental non-profit through either monetary donation, marketing or volunteer in-kind donation. Our volunteer efforts have included hosting educational kiosks and volunteering at the Garden Leader symposium and Fall Plant Sale. We also helped plant the food forest at The Urban Farm, volunteered at the Nome Park Community Garden workday, and supported the garden built at Earl Lee Evans Sensory Garden at FireFly Autism.

Image of person wearing "Alveole" shift holding tray covered in bees.

Education is part of your mission, could you share how that has manifested with DUG?

We have provided educational opportunities with our workshop offerings at the three DUG gardens that have adopted beehives. We have engaged with the broader community at tabling events through honey tasting and live bees. We also did a virtual beekeeping 101 class for DUG’s community, and now during fall we are giving workshops for the garden clubs at three elementary schools. 

Education is part of who we are at our core. And we work with honeybees as our ambassadors and our educational partners. Honeybees open up our eyes to the importance of all bees. Once you learn to recognize a honeybee in the environment you’ll start to recognize more and more bees, our wild native bees, a huge world of bees we were not connected to before. It reminds us that we need to protect the environment for all bees, not just one bee. 

We are so grateful for our partnership with Alvéole and for the focus on increasing biodiversity in urban spaces and protecting habitat for our bees and other pollinators. Their work allows us to step into the world of bees, and our work is to help protect the environment for all our bees to thrive. 

Our 2023 Annual Gala Gather ‘Round Was A Great Success!

By News

Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Gather ‘Round such a success! We felt your love come together last Thursday to celebrate the impact of community gardens and highlight the work of community leaders in six impact areas: Community, Climate, Health & Wellness, Food Sovereignty, Ancestral Foodways, and Skill Building.

We are extremely grateful for our wonderful volunteers, who made the night a smooth and joyful celebration, and to all the community members, partners and supporters who made this event possible.

This year, we were honored to celebrate the work of:
 Sistaotey, the garden leader at Montview Community Garden for her continued dedication to building a strong Community
– The students at Denver Public School working on climate action to make the district more environmentally and socially responsible
– The food sovereignty work of the East Denver Food Sovereignty Initiative
– The commitment to Ancestral Food Ways by the community leaders at the DUG Pecos Garden
– The continues work of our partners The Giving Grove to promote skill building in fruit tree education across the country
– And the work of Dr. Jill Litt to elevate the positive health impact of community gardens through her research

Our 2022 Impact Report is Out

By News

DUG’s on a mission for people, plants, and planet.

Each year we publish our annual impact report, a review of the previous year with a focus on what we’ve done, what we’ve learned, and how we grow. And each year we find ourselves having the same reaction – “WOW! We did a lot.” And 2022 was no different.

(New here? Hi, we’re Denver Urban Gardens, DUG for short. You might have seen our signs around town.

We are the largest independent community garden network in the country. And so much more. We’re on a mission to provide access, skills and resources for people to grow healthy food in their community and regenerate urban green spaces. You can learn more about our mission and vision here.) 

We like to think about how our work impacts people, plants and planet–and the spaces where they intersect. We’re working toward a sustainable urban future in metro Denver where people are connected to the earth, each other, and the food they eat.

Want to get in on the action? There are so many other ways to engage with DUG, too! Garden with us, grow your skills, volunteer, donate, find us online, join our mailing list, or become an Ambassador

Help us power our work! 

Join our community of people who champion people, plants, and planet. Become a Sustaining Steward!  

Our Next Community Garden is Coming to Union Station Neighborhood!

By News

Denver Urban Gardens, Central Platte Valley Metropolitan District, Downtown Denver Partnership Partner to Breathe New Life into Neighborhood.  

We are excited for the plans to transform a fenced-off area between Wewatta Street and Chestnut Place on 17th Street in lower downtown (LoDo) Denver into a dynamic community garden, sound garden and event space. Working in partnership with the Central Platte Valley Metropolitan District (CPVMD) and Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP) we will design, build and manage the community garden and other enhancements slated to open in Spring/Summer 2024.

“This project is such a great example of a diverse partnership of private, nonprofit and government sectors coming together to create a place that improves the downtown experience,” said Andrew Iltis, vice president, Planning and Community Impact for Downtown Denver Partnership. “A community garden will give the district a way to manage a high-visibility area of downtown and get neighbors directly involved in improving their city.”

For two years, the space on 17th Street in front of Whole Foods Union Station and at the entrances to the RTD transit depot was closed to protect and preserve the land and trees during the period when there were far fewer people in the area due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the 1970s the modern community garden movement has been transforming neighborhoods across the United States. Reactivating this particular space as a DUG community garden will not only provide land for nearby apartment and condo dwellers to grow their own fresh, healthy, hyper-local organic food, but also build community and offer the gardeners a way to take positive climate action by enhancing biodiversity, sequestering carbon, building healthy soil and minimizing water use.

Recent research proves that community gardening positively impacts physical and mental health by reducing stress and anxiety, and increasing fiber intake and exercise which helps prevent cancer and chronic diseases. As many people are still struggling with the isolation imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Surgeon General recently declared an epidemic of loneliness, this benefit of community gardening remains especially poignant.

In addition to garden plots, the design will incorporate the creative use of sound and light to develop a tranquil environment for all users whether they are gardening, enjoying a meal or simply seeking respite from a busy day. In addition to the redesign, efforts to re-energize the area through activation include a weekday lunchtime concert series featuring local artists, free Saturday morning yoga classes and a pumpkin patch in the fall.

“We looked at a number of options to activate this space,” said Anna Jones, manager of the Central Platte Valley Metropolitan District “We see this as an opportunity to re-think how public space is activated in a post-pandemic urban landscape. Our philosophy is centered on the notion that active, healthy community-based stewardship will breathe new life into the area in ways it hasn’t seen before.” 

“Over the past four decades, DUG has honed its model for community gardens so that they end up being much more than a catalyst for growing fresh produce,” said Linda Appel Lipsius, CEO of DUG. “These gardens are places where residents build strong connections with others while healing their bodies and minds. The DUG team is thrilled to bring this unique community asset to the heart of LoDo, addressing the desires and needs of residents as demonstrated by a long waitlist for the nearby Commons Park Community Garden.” 

If you are interested in joining the wait list for this garden, please email 17thstcommunitygarden@dug.org

 

The Easy Vegan Bringing Flavor and Flair to Gather ‘Round

By News

We are counting down the days until our annual fundraising gala Gather ‘Round on September 28! This is our favorite time to celebrate in community with gardeners, partners, and supporters. It is a time to dance and eat while reflecting on the growing season and planting seeds for the future.

This year we are extra excited to welcome back The Easy Vegan as our caterer. The Easy Vegan celebrates plant-based cooking in all its forms, from globally inspired street food to plated catering menus. 

Owners Alexi Mandolini & Taylor Herbert have a combined 28 years of experience in the service industry and, after losing work due to the pandemic, they started The Easy Vegan as a twice-weekly restaurant pop-up in the university neighborhood of Denver. Now you can find them all over Denver serving everything from fun and unpretentious street food to thoughtful, farm-to-table plated food and drink experiences.

“We wanted to bring something different to Denver,” Mandolini said in an interview for 5280 Magazine. “Our goal is to reimagine vegetables beyond the constraints of health fads and diet culture and craft beautiful, delicious, and exciting food where you don’t feel like you’re missing something without a meat protein, or even a meat substitute at the center of your plate,” said Herbert.

The Easy Vegan is one of the teams currently competing on Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race hosted by Tyler Florence. We are thrilled to see they are crushing the competition week after week and most recently got first place on week five, winning $15K and immunity for next episode. You can follow their journey at their weekly watch party at Town Hall Collaborative.

The menu The Easy Vegan has crafted for this year’s Gather ‘Round:


Bread Service
| local sourdough, caramelized leek butter
Harvest salad | shaved apples, golden beets, local greens, toasted pepitas, apple cider vinaigrette
Autumn Vegetable Ragout | braised fennel, blistered tomato, cannellini beans, marbled potato, tender squash, mini potato chips, fried sage
Herb-whipped parmesan polenta
Chocolate pot de crème or chai bodino

Don’t miss out on our biggest event of the year. It’s going to be both delicious and a plant-tastic good time!

Get your tickets now!

Food Forests Progress: We are Starting to See the Fruits

By News

Last spring, we launched the Etkin Family Food Forest Initiative with a vision to transform unused, marginal areas into thriving urban forests dripping with fruits, berries, and nuts for all community members.

Trees are an investment in the future, and we knew it would take time for the bare root trees and bushes to grow and become a full-grown food forest, but we’re excited to share that we’re starting to see fruit set on some of our first trees and bushes! This progress is a cause for celebration as we work toward creating a sustainable metro Denver for our children and their children.

Gooseberry bush producing its first crop

In 2022, we planted six sites across the Metro Area, including Nome Park, Barnum Community Orchard, Living Light of Peace Church, Cook Park, Samuels Elementary, and DCIS Fairmont Elementary.

These sites laid the foundation toward our bigger goal to plant 20 food forests in just two years! We’ve kept the momentum going with nine more sites planted this past spring, and we have five more coming this fall.

The Etkin Family Food Forest Initiative aligns with our three impact areas: Climate, People & Food:

  • Climate: By planting trees in urban areas, we increase the green canopy, helping to mitigate the heat island effect and combat pollution. Trees also absorb carbon from the atmosphere, contributing to a healthier environment.
  • Community: Food forests provide vital green spaces for our community to relax, reflect, and connect with nature. This is especially essential in addressing the loneliness epidemic affecting various populations.
  • Food: These food forests increase fresh food production in urban areas, offering a bounty of fruiting trees, bushes, and plants that provide food for the community to enjoy fresh or preserve for colder months.

Colorado Climate and Fruiting Trees
Taking into consideration the extreme Colorado climate, we work with techniques to increase the chances for success and longevity of these Food forests by:

  • Planting bare root trees in the spring, which makes them less susceptible to transplant shock and are quicker to take off because they don’t need to transition from the container to the ground. 
  • Choosing varieties that do well in our climate zone and semi-arid environment
  • Prepping the site weeks in advance by turning the soil and amending it with mulch to allow microorganisms to develop a healthy soil web before the roots go in. 
  • Working with the community to train Tree Keepers who volunteer their time to make sure these food forests thrive.
  • Shaping the land into sunken planting basins that harvest rainwater and reduce evaporation.
Creighton Hofeditz, Director of Permaculture & Perennials, showing volunteers how to plant bare root trees

Volunteers supporting a food forest planting day

Community
We have seen tremendous support from community members who want to see this initiative flourish.
We are grateful to the hundreds of volunteers who came out to dig in the soil, shovel compost and mulch, and help plant the nine sites this past spring, as well as the organizations who have adopted specific food forest sites to support the maintenance and other related needs with a three-year commitment.

As we continue to plant food forests we continue searching for volunteer Tree Keepers. The role doesn’t require any previous experience with taking care of trees; we will train volunteers in pruning, pest management, and general tree health.
Fill out this form if you are interested in becoming a Tree Keeper.

Spring 2023 food forests planted:
Tennessee Gateway in partnership with Athmar Park Neighborhood Association, The Urban Farm, Asian Pacific Development Center (APDC), Ute Trail Community Garden, Morey Middle School, Glenbrook Greenhouse (DPS), Doull Elementary, Happiness Gardens in partnership with the City of Wheat Ridge, Parkview United Church Community Garden.