iGROW

growing, eating, sharing

Local Organizations

Local Organizations

Sonoma County is full of great resources to support growing healthy food and sharing information, skills and produce. Check out some of the links below (in alphabetical order).

  • 2011 Nursery Tour and Gardener's Resource Guide  Guide to Sonoma County nurseries and garden resources published by the Sonoma County Gazette.
  • California Rare Fruit Growers, Redwood Chapter Information about pruning and grafting, cuttings, exchanges, and classes.
  • Ceres Community Project  Brings teens into the kitchen to learn about growing, preparing and eating healthy foods and prepare thousands of meals for people facing cancer and other life threatening illnesses.
  • City of Santa Rosa Water Conservation  Information and rebates for water conservation, including rainwater catchment systems and gray water systems.
  • The Compost Club  Provides training and assistance to build school wide composting systems that conver food scraps to compost.
  • Daily Acts – Homegrown Guild Supports people to turn their landscapes and neighborhoods into thriving food growing communities.
  • Farm to Pantry Community volunteers who work to provide fresh, affordable food to all members of the community through gleaning, garden support and other projects.
  • Gleaning Organizations A list of organizations throughout the county that take surplus produce from farmers and individuals and get it to people and organizations that can use it. 
  • Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, School Garden Teacher Training and Support Program A residential summer training focused on the instructional school garden and its integration into multiple subject areas using experiential learning.
  • Petaluma Bounty Supports people to grow their own healthy food, redistributing surplus food, and providing affordable fresh food to low-income families and seniors.
  • Redwood Empire Food Bank The REFB’s mission is to end hunger in our community. Please consider “growing a row” in your garden for those in need and help us end hunger in Sonoma County.
  • Santa Rosa Sustainable Agriculture Program Classes and programs to prepare students for entry into the emerging career field of sustainable and organic agriculture.
  • Santa Rosa Tool Library Offers hand and power tools for home repair, landscaping, and automotive work, free of charge. Check out the website or email fixit@borrowtools.org with questions and tools requests.
  • School Garden Network Supports and promotes sustainable garden- and nutrition-based learning programs in Sonoma County schools, connects school communities with fresh, locally grown foods, and provides a forum for exchanging information and resources.
  • Slow Harvest A network of community volunteers, farmers, gardeners, food banks and food professionals who glean excess food from local farms, gardens, farmers’ markets, bakeries and other producers and transport it to local food banks where it is distributed to those in need.
  • Sonoma Compost Local producer of organic compost and mulch from 100% recycled organics. Please visit their website for their policy for requesting donations of compost or mulch to local schools and community organizations.
  • Sonoma County Harvest Share This website helps link Sonoma County farmers and home gardeners with abundant produce to people who can use it.
  • Sonoma County Master Gardeners The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Sonoma County Master Gardeners website is a great source of information for food gardeners in Sonoma County. They have a phone helpline to answer gardening questions. HELPLINE: (707)565-2608 (Monday – Friday) or in the City of Sonoma: (707) 938-0127 (Monday-Friday, 1-3 p.m.)
  • Sonoma County Water Agency Information about Water Wise gardening.
  • Sonoma Ecology Center Works to enhance and preserve ecological health in Sonoma Valley, and offers a range of educational programs that support sustainable farming and gardening practices.
  • Urban Garden Share  A match-making system for gardeners and land owners.
  • Waste Not, Want Not Gleans farmers' extra bounty to feed the hungry. Working with Redwood Empire Food Bank and Slow Harvest.  For more information contact KaarinL@comcast.net or call 707-953-2261.
  • West County Community Seed Bank A grassroots community seed bank that supports Sonoma County gardeners with free, locally grown, open pollinated, pesticide and GMO free seeds. We meet once a month for a seed and plant exchange (the last Saturday of the month except November and December). For more information contact Sara McCamant at 829-5234 or saramc@emeraldearth.org, or check out westcountyseedbank.blogspot.com

Other Resources

Please contact info@igrowsonoma.org to add or update resources in this sections.