Volunteers

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How to Participate

Free Farm Syndicate works to connect folks who want to be involved in creating a local food system with access to land, tools, and education. Free Farm uses a communal garden model as opposed to a community garden model. Using this model, sites are coordinated to grow a variety of vegetables and also save seed, having 1-2 point people per site. Folks can then participate in setting up, maintaining, and harvesting different sites. All volunteers are welcome to whatever amount of produce they would like from any site. Additionally, participants can help with seed processing and food preservation and receive seeds and canned goods.

Volunteer sign up form

Volunteer Locations

Bancroft Street Market

2702 S. 10th St., Omaha, NE

Distribution: Saturdays 10 a.m.—2 p.m.
Volunteer Days: Volunteer Sign Up

 

Bancroft holds a special place in our hearts as the first Free Farm plot. The shade trees at Bancroft have changed the growing capacity over time and we now mostly grow herbs there. The deer and critters also make it harder to grow veggies, but we have two cherry trees that are reaching maturity. We host a distribution here on Saturday mornings: Come and see us!

Myrtle Garden

Myrtle

1123 N. 29th St., Omaha, NE

Distribution: Sundays 10 a.m.—2 p.m.
Volunteer Days: Volunteer Sign Up

Myrtle is two years old. It had a quick beginning in 2021; City Sprouts drove their tractor over to break ground on this plot and we got to work! The “peace sign” design of the rows was thanks to the creativity and dedication of one of our founding organizers, Sam. The water at this plot comes from our lovely neighbor, Bri. We grow a rotating variety of what’s not grown elsewhere, and we have saved seed from spinach, lettuce, arugula, and mustard at this small, but mighty plot. We have tried out some cover crops and we look forward to learning more about soil health by partnering with the department of agronomy and horticulture at UNL. We host a distribution here on Sunday mornings: Come and see us!

 

Benson

6112 Bedford Ave., Omaha, NE

Volunteer Days: Volunteer Sign Up

This is a unique plot, because we share the growing space with a neighbor, KJ. They love to grow an assortment of vegetables for their family, but this makes seed saving a challenge here (because of isolation distance). We have erected a fence to keep the groundhogs and rabbits out of the beds, and the back of the lot has plenty of wild nettles.

Dorcus Garden

Dorcas

1938 S. 15th St., Omaha, NE

Volunteer Days: Volunteer Sign Up

Starlight

2926 Myrtle St., Omaha, NE

Volunteer Days: Volunteer Sign Up

We started cultivating the Starlight plot in 2022. It’s a little shady and experiences pest pressure from a well-fed groundhog, but we’re installing fencing in 2023 to keep the little bugger out. Our water here comes from our delightful neighbors across the street. We have grown garlic, onions, potatoes, peppers, eggplants, corn, and chard, and we are hoping that our raspberry canes will bear fruit this year! We are also exploring mushroom cultivation in the small wooded area at the back of the plot.