Backyard Growers believes everybody belongs in the vegetable garden. Explore our programs and join one today.

Community Garden Program

Grow your own food with us in 2026!

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Grow your own food with us in 2026! 〰️

Backyard Growers operates six community gardens, located throughout the City of Gloucester, MA. 

In each of our community gardens, the space is divided into individual raised bed gardens, designed and built to account for safe growing conditions in an urban setting.

Each program gardener is responsible for their own garden bed and the harvest from that bed belongs to them. Backyard Growers manages the overall site and provides soil, compost, seeds, seedlings and annual garden trainings.

Program gardeners receive free and discounted options to attend Backyard Growers workshops and events throughout the year. We often partner with like-minded organizations to provide additional resources to participants when we can.

Burnham’s Field Community Garden

Burnham’s Field | 55 garden beds

This community garden is located in a public park, the largest open space in central Gloucester, with athletic fields, a basketball court, playground and walking paths. Founded in 2011 by a neighborhood group and now co-managed by Backyard Growers, this community garden represents a wide range of ages, backgrounds, family sizes, and income levels.

Apply to join

Riverdale Community Garden

Veteran’s Way | REBUILD UNDERWAY IN 2026

This garden is located at Gloucester Housing Authority’s Riverdale Park affordable housing community, which features 160 units. This garden is being rebuilt following local construction and will be available to residents again in spring 2026.

Apply to join

Willowood Community Garden

Willowood Gardens | 14 garden beds

Willowood Community Garden was built in 2017 for residents of Willowood Gardens, a family development of 60 townhouse apartments managed by Gloucester Housing Authority (GHA). Willowood also features Willowood Commons, an additional food-growing and gathering space opened to residents in October 2023, featuring five additional garden beds.

Apply to join

McPherson Community Garden

31 Prospect St | 10 garden beds

McPherson Community Garden is located at McPherson Park, a 97-unit apartment building for income-eligible disabled and senior residents, managed by Gloucester Housing Authority. The garden was revitalized in 2020 with new, ADA-compliant garden beds with built in benches to accommodate mobility differences. It includes two garden beds for wider community use.

Apply to join

Pond View Community Garden

Pond View | 10 garden beds

Pond View Community Garden is located at Pond View Village, which provides 43 affordable housing units, managed by The Caleb Group. Residents are able to grow their own food overlooking the Annisquam River and Lower Banjo Pond on the revitalized site of the historic LePage Glue Factory.

Apply to join

Poplar Park Community Garden

Poplar Park | 3 garden beds

Poplar Park Community Garden was built in 2019 at the Poplar Park Housing Development, run by Gloucester Housing Authority. Poplar Park is home to 76 one-bedroom apartment units for elderly residents.

Apply to join

Backyard Garden Program

Backyard Growers builds raised garden beds for low- to moderate-income Gloucester residents at their homes. Our goal is to increase equitable access to outdoor gardening space and fresh produce for all. To date, Backyard Growers has built over 200 backyard gardens in Gloucester.

The Backyard Garden Program is ideal for individuals who would prefer to garden at home, often due to mobility challenges or if a community garden bed is not available. Program gardeners receive a home visit to determine a suitable garden location, a raised garden bed, vegetable seeds, seedlings, gardening workshops, and an optional garden mentor.

This program is available to low to moderate income residents. Backyard Growers works with those that are not income-eligible to select and order raised beds through our partners, Black Earth Compost. Reach out for assistance.

Apply for a backyard veggie garden

GrowBag Garden Program

GrowBags are modular containers designed for growing food. This program is ideal for gardeners with limited outdoor space or restrictions on how their space can be used if they do not own their home. It is also great for people who just want to start out small. Since launching the GrowBag Program in 2020, Backyard Growers has worked with over 200 GrowBag gardeners. 

GrowBag Garden Program gardeners receive a set of three GrowBags, organic potting soil, seeds, and a selection of free veggie seedlings. Gardeners also have free access to Backyard Growers’ garden trainings and workshops, with ongoing support from our staff or a mentor.

This program is available to low- to moderate-income Cape Ann residents, prioritizing households with financial need.

Apply for a GrowBag garden