Community Gardens

Registration for the 2023 Community Gardens Growing season is OPEN!

Amethyst Brook Conservation Area & Fort River Farm

Fort River Farm Community Garden: 
Background: The Fort River Community Garden is located at the Fort River Farm Conservation Area, which is owned by the Town of Amherst and managed by the Town of Amherst Conservation Department. This is the second year of the garden, so there are many things that we are still working on getting up and running! The garden was started by a group of community volunteers and staff from Healthy Hampshire and the Town of Amherst that formed the Fort River Community Garden Circle, which functions like a collective. 

Here is a google map with a marker for the garden. To get to the Fort River Community Garden, turn at the driveway of 44-48 Belchertown Rd and follow the driveway all the way until the end – pass Verite. Parking is available outside of the garden in a gravel lot. The entire garden area, which is enclosed by a fence, is grassy, uneven soil. Soon, there will be mulched pathways, but we expect that the ground will continue to be somewhat uneven, and not suitable for wheelchairs. The raised beds are 1.5 feet high, with pathways between that are greater than three feet. Currently, the only water available is through a hand pump, and water has to be carried from the pump to the plots (we plan to have a water tank and hoses available this season). The pump is located on the fence side of the raised beds. We have a toolbox with basic tools such as shovels, trowels and watering cans that are available for anyone to use.

Amethyst Conservation Area Community Gardens (see promotional video below): 
These Community Gardens have been going strong for several seasons.  We are working to ensure that the 2023 season will be the best yet!

We invite you to watch the promotional video below for more information.  Video was produced by Benjamin Byman (Summer Intern 2021 - Houston Fellowship - Amherst College).