Planting Manhattan's Garden... Together
Land is provided by the City of Manhattan and RIley County.
The project is supervised by UFM
2012 Garden Plot Application. Both Gardens are full.
Call UFM at 785-539-8763 for waiting list information.
Learn about the new Collins Lane Garden
The Manhattan Community Garden is a cooperative gardening project located in the south part of Manhattan, Kansas. Land is provided by the City of Manhattan and Riley County. UFM Community Learning Center supervises the project. Garden sites are located in southern Manhattan at 9th and Riley Lane and at 1435 Collins Lane. 196 full and half sized plots are currently available on an annual basis. A small plot rental fee is charged to cover costs of operating the program. Rent is charged on a sliding fee scale to allow all income groups to participate. Water, mulch, tools, and advice are available.
A plot rental fee is charged based on income and ranges from 2 1/2 cents to 6 cents per square foot. A $20.00 per plot deposit for cleanup is also required.
2012 Application
2012 Garden Rules
Income Guidelines for Reduced Fees
Riley Lane Garden Map
Collins Lane Garden Map
Map to Collins Lane
- View Community Garden Newsletters
- Minutes of Community Garden Board Meetings
- CROP Walk Information
About the Collins Lane Gardens
CROP Walk - Donations from the CROP Walk allow the Community Garden to offer a sliding scale for plot rental fees, It also allows us to purchase supplies and plant materials that benefit all in the Garden.
Please make a donation to the 2011 CROP Walk when you sign up for a plot. For more information or to make an on-line donation
follow this link:
www.churchworldservice.org/goto/MCG2011
Equipment Orientation
All gardeners are required to attend an equipment orientation in order to be able to use the Garden-owned equipment. If you do not attend the orientation, you will not be given the combination to the shed lock.
Garden History
The Manhattan Community Garden began in 1974 with a mini grant from ACTION, coordinated by UFM. Basic gardening supplies were purchased. The land was purchased by Urban Renewal and was 150 ft from the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. This space was zoned as green space for the next 20 years. No change has been made since that time.
The City and many volunteers cleared the old houses and trees from the site. A local nursery provided a tractor and fertilizer to turn the soil. The city agreed to install water meters and spigots at the site. The City agreed to donate water. A local bank donated seeds for the first year.
The first year they had 60 plots planted.
A shed was donated by a developmental center and a small grant from Social Rehabilitation Services assisted during the first years. A children’s garden was added next to the main garden in 1979. A new shed was donated by D&R Construction in 2004.
The lease on the 3 acres of gardening space is held by UFM Community Learning Center and renewed by the City of Manhattan every five years. A new site is being added for 2012 gardening. This site, at 1435 Collins Lane is leased from Riley County and is open to anyone in the county. It will follow similar rules and have similar plot rental fees.
Currently the Riley Lane Garden has 118 plots. Collins Lane currently has 78 plots. Another 72 plots are planned for 2013 gardening. A plot rental is charged on a sliding scale to cover garden expenses.
- For more information, call UFM at (785) 539-8763 or e-mail info@tryufm.org.
