Get Involved and Have Fun! Join Us!
Volunteering is a great way to get some "outdoor" exercise, develop new friendships, learn new skills, ensure students are connected to "the land," preserve our agricultural heritage, and help the community develop a new unique park.
Community Garden Project
Anderson Park Friends, Inc. (APF) is partnering with Dane County Parks (DCP) and Rooted to create a “large-size” garden opportunity for interested individuals, churches, nonprofits, and/or businesses. People or interested organizations can contact us now to be considered for one of the 2023 plots. Certain limitations will apply. Tentative deadline is February 15, 2024.
Oregon Area Food Pantry Garden
Most of us have a dose of “cabin fever”. Too much snow and indoor activities. Paging through seed catalogues can help alleviate this “closed-in” feeling. What do APF volunteers do? We read those same catalogues.
Our APF garden leadership team has been doing just that-reading seed catalogues. We are organizing our strategies for the 2023 Food Pantry Garden. This includes ordering and purchasing seeds as well as starting seedlings at the Oregon High School greenhouse.
Goals for 2024 year include increasing the pounds of fresh produce and increasing the variety of produce for local pantries. In 2023, APF volunteers raised 2,00 pounds. The 2024 goal this year is over 3,500 pounds. In 2024 we will grow over 18 varieties with a "2-growing season strategy." New techniques started in 2023 included: 1) compost program, 2) cover crop approach to soil fertility and weed control, and 3) a micro-irrigation system for 1/8 acre.
Click here for the Food Pantry Garden flyer.
The garden will support the pantries in Oregon, Belleville, and Verona.
Donations are needed to meet our goal of $2,000. Go to the APF Membership Page. Select the other category and indicate a donation with your credit card.
Join us by going to https://www.andersonparkfriends.org/volunteer.
Volunteer opportunities within projects include:
- Planning and restoring the Arthur Sholts Memorial Woods
- Creating and maintaining 10 acres of prairie: planting native plants and harvesting prairie seeds
- Creating and maintaining a 40-acre dog park and prairie. Dog Park Map for more information.
- Creating and maintaining a food pantry garden
- Creating and maintaining trails-hiking, equestrian riding, snowshoeing,
- Suport family walks in the park with our fairy doors and over 60 rock art pieces placed along hiking trails
- Planning and developing market garden farm plots for the Anderson Farm Center
- Planning and coordinating education programs for K-12, community college, and university students
- Building signs, kiosks, and a park shelter
- Creating bird habitat and maintaining a 23-house bluebird trail
- Maintaining bat and kestrel bird houses.
Volunteers are covered by insurance after registering via a "signed" volunteer waiver form. People under the age of 18 need the consent of a parent. Please print and fill out either the individual waiver form or the group waiver form and bring it to our next event. Also, please review a summary of the waiver guidelines.
Other activities include quarterly newsletter, web site maintenance, fundraising, community outreach, event planning (i.e. Global Youth Service Day, Arbor Day, Earth Day, etc.) and more! All event held in accordance with Dane County Parks guidelines.
Check out our calendar for a listing of events.