Reisman: How Community Gardening Is Taking Root in Newberg

Have you dreamed of having your own garden, but bemoaned your lack of outdoor space? If so, you’re not alone, and the people of Newberg are finding community-oriented solutions. Even in rural wine country, not everyone owns land. Community gardens are stepping in to keep people healthy, connected, and fed.

Community gardens are collaborative, shared spaces where individuals can grow food without needing their own land. With food insecurity on the rise in 2025 — and proposed federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — gardening can help increase fruit and vegetable intake while lowering grocery bills.

Several community gardens are active in and around Newberg. Some, like the one at Deskin Commons, are built into apartment complexes. Others, such as the Newberg Adventist Church garden, are open to the public and free to register for a bed.

In McMinnville, the community garden operated by the Yamhill County Master Gardener Association charges a small rental fee but also asks participants to volunteer four hours a month to help maintain beds for the local food pantry. In Newberg, produce from community or home gardens can be donated to the Yamhill Community Action Partnership, or YCAP.

The McMinnville community garden is run by the Yamhill County Master Gardener Association, or YCMGA. Founded in 1991 as an Oregon State University Extension Service, the program was designed to share university research with the public.

Its certified master gardeners — all trained through a six-week course — have collectively logged thousands of volunteer hours. The group’s mission is to support the community and equip anyone with the tools to become a gardener.

For those looking to dig deeper, YCMGA offers two educational programs at local gardens. From Garden to Table is a free ten-week course offered in English in McMinnville and in Spanish in Newberg, and intended for low-income folks hoping to use gardening to fight food insecurity.

At the end of the course, participants are given seeds, soil, pots, and garden beds, and have all the information necessary to become successful gardeners. YCMGA’s second class, located at the St Micheal’s community garden, is “Vigorous Veggies,” a two-part course tackling specific aspects of gardening, like watering, weeding, fertilizing, and pest control.

“You’re gardeners,” said Master Gardener Anna Ashby at the most recent Newberg session. “So you need to get your hands dirty.”

YCMGA also hosts a clinic table at the Newberg Wednesday Market, where master gardeners answer questions and share resources.

“YCMGA’s function in life is to provide education,” said Susan Burdell, the group’s president. Residents can even drop off soil samples to test pH levels or evaluate fertilizer needs — either at the market or the McMinnville extension office — for free.

A 2023 OSU study on Garden to Table participants found they saved an average of $25 per week during the growing season, and 78% reported eating more fruits and vegetables. Nationally, researchers have found interest in community gardening has increased since the pandemic — with benefits that extend beyond nutrition to mental health and social connection.

Whether you’re growing flowers in your yard or vegetables to trim your grocery bill, the Newberg community is proving that anyone can be a gardener. And as many gardeners will tell you: fruits and vegetables taste better when you grow them yourself. If you’re hoping to enrich your diet, save money and maybe learn a little patience, this might be your summer to give gardening a try.