Testimonials . . . 

   We have had more butterflies this year than 20 plus years we lived here.  Ashby Community Garden neighbor and supporter.  ~  Dr. Derethia DuVal

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   I don’t have a plot at the garden, but I have learned about the importance of the garden when I stop by to chat with the people who are actively gardening. The garden is an important community gathering place to learn and share information about growing food, herbal remedies, emergency preparedness, and provide a green oasis in a Berkeley that is becoming more of a crowded urban city.  ~  Gerald Baron
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   When I moved to Berkeley, the very first organization I joined was the Ashby Community Garden. On my first visit to the garden, there was a food swap going on - members of the community had come together to share and swap their delicious homemade goods. Recognizing a new (and overwhelmed-looking) face, one of the long-time garden members quickly slipped away from the event, and she took the time to show me around the garden and explain how it all works. I felt included right from the start, and I knew from that first day at the garden that this was a special place with a great community.
   In the months that followed, I contributed to community projects at the garden, started working my own plot, became a caretaker of the Ashby garden laying-hens, participated in numerous food swaps, and even helped check on the beehives!  I have been an Ashby Community Garden member for over two years now, and after spending countless hours at the garden, it's become an incredibly important place to me.   ~  Mark Specht
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    I live next door to the Ashby Garden. I’ve lived there for 8+ years. I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting people there; young and old, families and single people dedicated to making our community better.  I have been able to see bees swarming and seen the beautiful butterflies emerge from their cocoons. I’ve got to hear chickens beyond the traffic sounds and children laughing while picking veggies for dinner.  
    Ashby Garden isn't just a place people grow veggies. It’s a place where we are able to teach the future community what community is really all about.  ~ Neighbor Neima

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     Community Gardens are cared for all over the world, as a place to grow favorite foods, teach, learn and relax.  They are islands of culture which hold secrets across generations.
     Community Gardens are not just a Sunday afternoon place to hang out in the neighborhood.  As our population density rises and the open footprint for gardens shrinks the gardens we DO have are more precious than ever.  Once a community garden is torn out, developed into a home, a strip mall or a parking lot it is gone forever. 
     I have been lucky to enjoy the Ashby Community Garden in South West Berkeley on Ashby and Acton.  The community gardeners found there have been inspiring and have taught me to appreciate the value of a public place to grow. ~ Theresa Halula  
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