City Slicker Farms

In addition to their initial garden build--which includes two boxes, trellises, and a fruit tree--participants in our Backyard Garden Program receive additional services as needed: gopher proofing, additional planter boxes if they desire more growing space, fruit tree pruning, and oftentimes a rebuild. Our raised beds last years for most Backyard Gardeners, but eventually they do rot out. When that happens, Garden Program Manager Alison Fischman brings a crew to completely rebuild the beds--a big task, and one she wanted to do less frequently.

Alison has dreamed of redesigning the raised beds for years, and this month, with the help of other staff and volunteers, her dream became reality. With input from rockstar volunteers Matt Wolpe and Chad Mills, Alison engineered the new box design, which features bolts instead of screws and 4”x4” posts at all of the corners. She installed the first new boxes at Friendship Christian Center’s Backyard Garden build on April 10 with great success. Here’s to a future with fewer rebuilds!