Posted: August 04, 2026
On Sunday, July 5, 2026, Growing to Green hosted its annual Community Garden Mixer. The theme this year: It Takes a Village to Raise a Seedling.
The mixer, celebrating the return of the Urban Garden Leadership Academy, focused on the development of community and collaborative work in urban gardening. Attendees representing over 10 gardens in Columbus were able to share their experiences in the current food system, and newer community gardens were given guidance from more seasoned food leaders.
One of the most engaged activities was the creation of a communal dream board. Mixer attendees were invited to try to answer 3 questions: what does urban agriculture look like to you, what does the future of urban ag look like, and what can we do to reach that future. Given printed images, magazines with scissors, and writing tools, community members were able to weave together an ideal future of what Columbus’ food system could look like.
“Build & maintain critical physical & community/collaborative/cooperative infrastructure”, “Support & teach our youth & each other”.
While the mixer has passed, community members are still able to join the conversation by applying to the Urban Garden Leadership Academy or attending the Growing to Green Harvest Awards on Thursday, October 8, 2026!
