The Community Garden Podcast

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens for this special episode of The Community Garden Podcast. Join Taylor on a field trip to the Tollgate Technological Skills Centre greenhouse to chat with students from the Green Industries program about environmental issues that they believe in. Taylor and students chat about ideas to decrease climate change impact on communities, endangered tree species, fruit...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Samantha Cockman, a new addition to the Brantford gardening community! Samantha has recently moved from the neighbouring city of Brantford and is beginning her gardening and plant journey in a slightly different climate. Taylor and Sam chat about growing herbs indoors, houseplants for beginners, foraging, medicinal plants, and engaging kiddos in...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Elsa Mann from the Mount Forest Community Garden. This community garden operates multiple styles of gardening and addresses multiple needs, located in the heart of Mount Forest, Ontario. This space serves as a place to meet new friends, grow nutritious food for the community, relax and recharge, and connect. Elsa and Taylor discuss how Mount Fore...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Chad Martin from the Brantford Station Neighbourhood Association, plus multiple other organizations. Chad is a huge community changemaker that is doing amazing things in Brantford. Chad and Taylor sit down to chat about plans for a Health and Wellness Garden project, but also touch on community networking, individual actions to contribute to your...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Gillian Aitken, a local beginner gardener who just wrapped up their first season gardening, while growing in Brantford, ON on sterile land. This conversation was stuffed full of little gardening tidbits and problem solving, discussing beginner friendly brambles, cauliflower problems, navigating sterile soil, tomatoes for beginners, growing zones,...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Keith and Robyn from Branching Out Brantford (and other essential organizations within the city). These changemakers chat with Taylor about an organization they operate that supports fruit tree owners and harvest sharing, as well as other organizations that focus on community connections and food sharing. We touch on food rescue systems, gleaning...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with mother and son duo Mary and Ash about their experience container gardening as well as being Host Gardeners for the 2024 season! Mary and Ash are full of tips and tricks that gardeners should consider utilizing and also have unique advice for folks gardening in tight and shady spaces. Mary, Ash, and Taylor chat about pandemic gardening, unique way...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Kay Hughes from Jason’s Wheelhouse Kay comes from a family of farmers and dives into how they incorporated gardening in their life again, and also their involvement at Jason’s Wheelhouse and how the facility uses gardens in their programming. Kay and Taylor chat about growing vegetables in grow bags, the fun of growing artichokes and tomatillos,...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with EGCG’s President Kat Schneider. Taylor and Kat discuss Kat’s gardening origin story, how she came to volunteer with Equal Ground, the process of starting the host garden program, backyard chickens, keeping honey bees, and so much more! If you’re interested in registering for the 2025 Host Garden Program, you can do so here . Tune in and don’t for...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Kathleen Foldvari, Garden Champion of Sunny Hill Community Garden in St George, Ontario. Taylor and Kathleen chat about the process of getting the community garden running, engaging children in nature based activities, the dreaded soapy cilantro, how to combat losing your gardening tools, among other things! Tune in and don’t forget to check out...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Armanda Lambert about inspiration for including art in the garden. Armanda walks us through her process for including art in the garden, how she got connected with her community, and the various organizations she is involved in. Taylor and Armanda chat about how to use art to deter pests, the City of Brantford’s horticulture displays, and our loc...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with the forces behind The Oakland Giving Garden and the amazing work they do in the Brantford, Brant, Cambridge area. This mother-son duo runs an organization that donates profit from seedling sales to various organizations that are close to their heart including the Cambridge and District Humane Society, Jackson’s school playground fundraiser, South...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with SeedMoney founder Roger Doiron about the SeedMoney fundraising platform. Roger runs a non profit that operates a no fee fundraising and grant platform for community gardens all over the globe. Roger and Taylor chat about how to program works, how interested gardeners can get involved and run a campaign, as well as Roger’s experience with Kitchen...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Cheryl Antoski, co-founder of Equal Ground Community Gardens and wonderful community change maker. Cheryl and Taylor dive deep into the history of the organization and the process of getting a new organization moving, as well as advice for finding your spot in your community in a new space. Cheryl shares tons of advice and tips for folks who are...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with beginner home gardener Michelle Jamieson (also of Golden Age Management) about her food garden journey. Michelle grew up in a gardening household but was really able to dive into food gardening 3 years ago when she and her partner moved to a new home in Brantford. During this episode, we chat about starting seedlings for beginners, irrigation sys...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Cheryl Clarridge, a local Brant County gardener who offers garden plot rentals on her property. Cheryl grew up in the farming community, with her parents and grandparents growing flowers, feed, and tending to a variety of livestock. During this interview, Cheryl and Taylor chat about community garden models, how a private plot rental system can w...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Garden Champion Ruby Streicher and hear about her experience leading a local community garden and team of volunteers. Ruby and Taylor discuss the high cost of living and how a garden can offset it, the value of community gardens and neighbourhood connections, engaging volunteers, overcoming frost damage, and fighting the pesky bindweed. Tune in t...

Join Equal Ground Community Gardens as we chat with Expressive Arts teacher Jill Pye and learn more about Crossing All Bridges Learning Centre and how they incorporate community gardens in their programming. Jill and Taylor discuss accessible gardening solutions, dangers when growing hot peppers, garden pests including earwigs and squash bugs, creative ways to use garden harvest including nasturti...

Join host Taylor as we learn more about Equal Ground Community Gardens and how our programs operate. This is a precursor to the rest of the podcast, providing context and background information on the organization facilitating this podcast. We chat about our programs, Greenhouse and Learning Centre, history of Equal Ground, and Taylor’s background. To view this episode's full show notes, visit htt...

The Community Garden Podcast was inspired by a desire to provide accessible gardening knowledge to gardeners of all skill levels. At Equal Ground Community Gardens (EGCG), we believe that everyone can benefit from learning how to grow their own food gardening, whether they're just starting out or have years of experience. Hosted by Taylor, EGCG's Greenhouse and Learning Centre Coordinator, the pod...