Greetings, Gardeners. It feels a little incongruous to be thinking of spring and garden chores in this bitterly cold January while many of us are struggling with shock and grief. But we have also heard from so many of you about the joy, respite, and sense of community that you find in the Garden, and we are committed to keeping that alive. With that in mind, there are a few important notes and dates as we start to plan for the 2026 season.

Registration for 2026 starts this Friday, January 30. Renewals will be sent over email (those who requested a paper form last year will also receive a paper mailing). Due Date for Renewal: March 1, 2026.

Call for Service Co-Coordinators. We have so much interest from gardeners in more community events, more workshops, more maintenance projects - but we need organizers to help make it happen! Please note on your renewal if you are interested in helping to plan the work and communications for your assigned team. We are also looking for a Communications Coordinator for the monthly newsletter.

Steering Committee Meet & Greet. We’ll be at Fireroast Coffee from 9am-12pm on February 21. Come say hi, learn more about garden admin or service coordination, share your feedback, and get live help with your renewal for 2026. 

Review the updated 2026 Rules and Service Opportunities. There are some important changes to the rules, including an increase to 5 service hours and restrictions on plant and structure height in plots. 

New Mailing Address: Our new mailing address is P.O. Box 6203, Minneapolis, MN 55406. While registration and payment requests will be sent over email, paper forms or checks may be mailed to our P.O. Box. 

2025 Season Survey Feedback. Thank you to everyone who responded! It’s not too late to share your experience. 

Need a new shed key? Please email dowlingcommunitygarden@gmail.com and we will arrange it with you. Replacement keys are $5/ key.