In light of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease outbreak and this new era of social distancing, Hannah has been working with many people from across the region to create a best practices set of guidelines for community gardening during the foreseeable future. She gathered input from public health officials, researchers, food systems experts and medical professionals. We are very proud to say that this document is currently being circulated widely throughout the northeast and is even making its way south and across the country.
Please review ‘COVID-19 Guidelines for Safe Community Gardening‘. It includes an outline and links to several key sources of the most up to date and legitimate information on the Coronavirus and COVID-19. These guidelines will be distributed throughout the garden along with simple graphic signs to make following best practices as easy as possible.
Please consider the following:
- We will keep the garden open for gardening during this time
- Do not come to the garden if you are feeling any symptoms of COVID-19
- Do not come to the garden if you are at high risk for serious complications due to contracting COVID-19.
- If you are an “at risk” gardener, please coordinate with us so that we can cover spring tilling, planting, and cultivating in your plot.
- We need to follow very strict guidelines to keep everyone safe while gardening
- Please bring sanitation wipes and be prepared to wipe down anything you touch while in the garden including hoses, water spigots, and the Gardenway cart handle.
- Do not assume anyone has wiped down these surfaces. DO assume they have been touched and need to be sanitized.
- Practice social distancing, maintaining a 6′ MINIMUM between you and other gardeners.
- Do not hug or shake hands.
- Doap is one of the most effective means of sanitizing the virus. bring a ziplock bag, or other watertight container, full of soapy water and a washcloth as your own personal and mobile hand washing station.
- Bring sanitation wipes.
- Bring your own tools
- Remove all of your tools when you leave for the day
- Do not lend your tools to anyone else, it is very difficult to sanitize wooden handles.
- We will be removing ALL community shared tools for the time being.
- We have removed the lids from compost containers that are available to put garden debris in. do not move or touch the compost lids, just leave them where they are.
- Do not think that wearing gloves will protect you or anyone else from the virus. review proper use of gloves protocols
- We may institute a scheduling process to provide ‘at risk’ gardeners a chance to access the gardens and to increase our ability to maintain proper social distancing.
- Communication is key: please let us know if you are struggling to get to the garden,
to date and legitimate information on the Coronavirus and COVID-19. These guidelines will be distributed throughout the garden along with simple graphic signs to make following best practices as easy as possible.
Please also review this document with supplemental information.