Registration for existing gardeners opens in February

It’s warm-up time! The snow and ice soon will melt away and we’ll welcome everyone back to the McFarland Community Garden.  

A few notes in anticipation of the season:  

• Plans are underway for construction of a new mulch and wheelbarrow storage building at the back of the garden — hopefully by the start of the season. We have a small grant from the Madison Home-brewers and Tasters Guild for about half of the project.  We’ll need a little more.  Donations are welcome.  There is a donation feature in Signup Genius used for registration.

• REGISTRATION for returning gardeners will begin on or about February 1st.  You will all receive and email invitation to register.  That email will include a link to Signup Genius, the cost matrix for the garden plots and raised beds.  It will also include the Garden Guidelines under which we operate for your review before the season.  New gardener registration will begin on or about March 1st.  

• The new cost matrix will show some fee changes for 2026.  We hope these changes will not be prohibitive to anyone.  If your family's needs or budget are very limited and you need assistance with the fees, we have other gardeners willing to help. 

  These fee changes are necessary to the operation of the garden.  We have not made a fee change in at least 10 years, to my recall, and the cost of everything has gone up including sand, compost, equipment maintenance or purchases, mulch, etc.