Garden Program

Fast Facts About The Barn’s Garden Program and Volunteering as a Garden Helper:

  • The Barn needs regular Garden Helpers mid-March to mid-October, as well as larger groups of volunteers for 1 or 2 day garden events such as “a day of planting” *Garden events to be determined
  • Weekdays, normal business hours
  • No garden experience is necessary!
  • We have educational and decorative gardens throughout our property, as well as raised garden beds in which we grow produce and donate to the local food cupboard! *Part of a partnership with Chester County Food Bank

Garden Helper Onboarding, Training & Sign Up:

Before volunteering as a garden helper, all volunteers should make sure they have completed the 2023 Volunteer Application and all necessary forms/waivers, which you can find (along with additional instructions), at www.springbrook-farm.org/volunteer. All volunteers must attend a Barn Tour and respective trainings as well. Each year we host trainings for all our volunteers during after volunteer recruitment months. If you have not attended a Garden Helper training, that is OK! Just let us know and we will share upcoming Garden Helper trainings and/or make sure you receive the necessary training before you start. We prefer if garden helpers volunteer when programming is not occurring (see Fall 2023 programming hours below) and during normal business hours – sorry, no weekends!

  • August 28th-November 30th: Mondays through Fridays we have programming going on from 1:45 to 6:15pm

Garden Helper Age, Forms, & Clearances Requirements: Check out www.springbrook-farm.org/volunteer/ for more information about the required clearances.

  • Volunteers ages 7 years old or younger are not eligible to volunteer as a garden helper.
  • Volunteers ages 8 to 13 years old are able to help out in the gardens with an accompanying cleared adult (the adult has completed both the adult Participant Release Waiver and Confidentiality Form, and 2023 Volunteer Application on behalf of the minor aged 13 or younger who wants to be a garden helper, and all necessary clearances), as well as completed the minor Participant Release Waiver and Confidentiality Form, and only during the hours a Barn staff member is on premise/normal weekday business hours.
  • Volunteers ages 14 to 17 years old are able to help out in the gardens not accompanied by a cleared adult, but only during the hours a Barn staff member is on premise/normal weekday business hours and after completing the 2023 Volunteer Application and the required minor Participant Release Waiver and Confidentiality Form. Volunteers ages 14 to 17 do not have to complete clearances.
  • Volunteers ages 18 years old or older help out in the gardens during the hours a Barn staff member is on premise/normal weekday business hours, as long as they have completed the 2023 Volunteer Application, all necessary clearances, and the required adult Participant Release Waiver and Confidentiality Form.

Already established as a Garden Helper? Great! Make sure when you schedule your volunteer hours via the Sign-Up Genius link we send you, that you remember to:

  • Sign up at least 72 hours prior to the date/time you’d like to sign up, that way we receive the notification and can confirm your volunteer date/time is available
  • Include your name and the specific times you would like to volunteer
    • i.e. if you are available every Wednesday afternoon from 3-4pm, you would sign up for every Wednesday date available and indicate in the text field “Joe Smith, 3-4pm”
  • Be sure to dress appropriately (shoes, hats, sunscreen) and bring a water
    • We supply all gardening tools and equipment needed – including gloves!
    • When the weather gets really hot, you are more than welcome to come into the Barn offices to cool off/take breaks

Want to learn more about gardening to prepare yourself? Check out:

Questions? Email [email protected] or call us at 610.793.1037!