The Farmers Branch Community Garden (the Garden) was established in 2008 as a collaboration between the City of Farmers Branch, Chapel Hill United Methodist Church (CHUMC), the community, Metrocrest Services, and Dallas County Master Gardeners. It is located at 12411 Templeton Trail, on land that was once part of The Peters Colony which helped settle north Texas. The Garden operates under the direction of Farmers Branch Parks Supervisor Ben Solis.

The Garden encompasses little more than an acre of land donated by CHUMC. It includes 60 individual garden plots plus an orchard, herb  garden, and butterfly garden. Anyone who lives, works, goes to school, or attends church in the city of Farmers Branch, or is in some way an active member of the city, can apply for a plot for a small annual fee. Accepted participants are responsible for maintaining their own plots and sharing in the upkeep of the orchard and common areas. In return, they reap a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The orchard includes apple, apricot, and a variety of fig trees, along with blackberries, grapes, and pomegranates. Rosemary, basil, mint and many other popular herbs are grown in the herb garden. The butterfly garden is loaded with plants that attract Monarch and Swallowtail butterflies.

The Garden offers a multi-bin composting system and mounds of mulch for the individual plots and walkways. There is a storage building with an attached patio that was built by local Boy Scouts as part of an Eagle Scout project. Supplies provided by the city include: tools, seeds, compost, and other soil amendments.

Since the Garden is organic, chemical pesticides, fertilizers, and weed killers are not allowed. Instead, soil structure and nutrients are improved naturally by recycling organic matter back into the earth. Nutrients remain within the garden through the natural cycle of growth and decay. This fulfills the goal that the land receives only organic or natural fertilizers; and it promotes a healthy ecosystem for people, birds, insects, plants and microorganisms. The result is a balance that is beneficial and natural for all.

Master Gardeners (MGs) serve in the Garden primarily as an educational resource. They assist with educational programs presented to school, scout, or other community groups which visit the Garden. When possible, MGs plan and implement educational events for the community. These may include talks, demonstrations, or an “open garden” event that offers participants hands-on crafts and projects.

MGs also are available on Saturday mornings to answer questions, and help harvest and maintain common areas as needed. Volunteers harvest a percentage of the available produce each Wednesday and Saturday, weighing, recording, and delivering it to the Metrocrest Food Pantry.

The Garden is always open during daylight hours, but the first Saturday of each month is an especially good opportunity to visit. Those Saturdays are set aside as a workday; if the weather, holidays, or other reasons don’t interfere. If MGs want to volunteer at the Garden, they can just show up on a workday or reach out to the project leaders. The project leaders’ contact information is available on the Dallas County Master Gardeners Association’s Members Only website under MG Resources.