Community Crops
What we do
The Community Crops Program provides education, advocacy, and experiences to grow local food through community gardens, production greenhouses, incubator farms, and workshops.
How we do it
We bring our mission to life by managing a robust network of growing spaces alongside regional farm development initiatives.
By delivering practical agricultural training, secure land access, and food education to aspiring farmers and community members alike, we empower local residents to cultivate their own food and grow a healthier community.
In 2025
Garden Program
The Community Crops Garden Program provides affordable garden plots, tools, and water access at multiple neighborhood sites across Lincoln, ensuring everyone has the space to grow their own food.
Operating on a sliding-fee scale to remain accessible to all incomes, the program brings together neighbors of all backgrounds — from novice gardeners to seasoned growers and refugee families — to cultivate everything from everyday vegetables to culturally diverse heritage crops.
Becoming a Community Gardener
Annual applications are required to participate. Because our gardens fill up quickly, applicants are placed on a first-come, first-served basis.
- New Gardeners: Applications are open from January 6 to March 31. Apply online or visit our office at 501 S. 7th St. for a paper copy. Paper applications are available by request in English, Spanish, Arabic, Karen, and Pashto.
- Returning Gardeners: Eligible gardeners who met priority deadlines receive an emailed application in November. Contact our team with any questions.
- Waitlist (After April 1): Join the waitlist for the current or next season by emailing your name and contact info. If a plot doesn’t open up, you will receive priority registration emails in mid-December.
Community Gardening Plots & Fees
Gardeners pay an annual fee based on plot size and household income (sliding scale). One standard plot is 100 sq. ft. (10′ x 10′). Due to high demand, there is a maximum limit of 4 plots per applicant.
| Plots | Total Size | Sliding Scale Fee Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Plot | 100 sq. ft. (9.3 sq. meters) | $25 – $100 |
| 2 Plots | 200 sq. ft. (18.6 sq. meters) | $50 – $200 |
| 3 Plots | 300 sq. ft. (27.9 sq. meters) | $75 – $300 |
| 4 Plots | 400 sq. ft. (37.2 sq. meters) | $100 – $400 |
Garden Locations
- 17th & F (917 S 17th St)
- Mustard Seed (2600 N 70th St)
- 14th & Hudson (2152 S 14th St)
- Antelope (35th & Sumner)
- Willard (1245 S Folsom St)
- Knyaw *limited*
- Southern Heights (5750 S 40th St)
- Peter Pan Park (30th & Overland Trail)
- Gere Library (2400 S 56th St)
- Alpha Kappa Alpha (1344 D St) *limited*
- Belmont (3424 N 14th St)
Farm Program
Community Crops provides training, technical assistance, and land access to beginning, immigrant, and limited-resource farmers.
Our goal is to help people create sustainable farm businesses to feed their families and their community.
Farm applications for next year will open in Quarter 4. Please check back for updated information and deadlines.
Farm Locations
Prairie Pines
4498 N 112th St
Lincoln, NE 68527
Airpark
3130 NW 39th St
Lincoln, NE 68524
14th and Lake
2442 S 14th St
Lincoln, NE 68502
Education and Classes
Come learn with us!
Classes and workshops are offered throughout the year on gardening and farming topics, cooking, and sustainable living.
Urban Grower Series
This class series focuses on teaching sustainable growing skills for gardeners and farmers. Class formats may vary between hybrid classes, lectures, demonstrations and other alternative formats. Pre-registration is required. Using the ‘Register for Classes’ button below will link you to a different website for sign up where you can sign up for individual events or multiple classes at once!
We are able to offer scholarships to those who are needing financial assistance in able to attend. To request a scholarship, email agerdes@familyservicelincoln.org.
June 16th, 6–8pm — Organic Pest Management Field Day @ Prairie Pines Farm
This tour and demonstration based event will showcase various methods and strategies for pest management. Learn about what integrated pest management is, and the four main methods of control. Examples of each control method will be shown in action on the farm. Led by Community Crops staff.
June 30th, 6–7:30pm — Pest Identification Skill Session @ Tifereth Garden
Gain experience identifying different pests and their lifecycles, from egg to adult. This class will cover scouting and using barriers as physical methods of prevention, evaluating how to respond to pest issues, as well as considerations for using organic pesticides. This class will include hands on learning opportunities for students. Led by Community Crops staff.
July 9th, 6–8pm — Planning for Season Extension @ Family Service Lincoln
Extend your harvest into fall and winter! This class will cover principles of season extension from basic plant physiology to crops that are well suited for growing in fall and winter. Strategies and tools for season extension will be discussed during this class. This class will incorporate time for students to plan their late season gardens. Led by Community Crops staff.
July 21st, 6–8pm — Basics of Soil Science and Evaluating Soils @ Family Service Lincoln
Healthy soils are essential for healthy crops. Students will learn what makes a healthy soil and why taking care of our soil is important. Basic soil science, how to assess soil health, and land management practices for soil conservation will be covered.
August 4th, 6–8pm — Soil Health Principles in Action @ Tifereth Garden
This class will introduce students to the four soil health principles through an interactive garden tour. Students will have the chance to see examples of each soil principle in action, through demonstration and activity based stops on the tour. Led by Community Crops staff.
TBD — Building Permanent Beds for Soil Conservation & Plant Productivity
Learn about the benefits of establishing permanent beds for soil conservation, crop rotation, and plant productivity. This will be a short, demonstration based session that will show how to set up permanent beds with the two wheel tractor as well as explore plant spacing and bed configuration for productivity. Originally scheduled for March 26th, this class will be postponed until further notice! We will update as soon as we have a reschedule date. Until then, registration is still open. Led by Community Crops staff.
Our History
Founded in 2003 with a single community garden, Community Crops was born out of a simple idea: providing people with the space and resources to grow their own food. Over more than two decades, that single plot has flourished into a vibrant, multi-faceted urban agriculture program.
Today, Community Crops operates 11 community garden sites across Lincoln, alongside two dedicated training farms, production greenhouses, and comprehensive education programs.
In 2023, Community Crops reached a pivotal milestone when it joined Family Service Lincoln. This new structure strengthens our organizational roots and ensures these vital resources will continue to feed, educate, and support our community for generations to come.
Community Crops Sponsors
