Krishna Garden Mission
The Krishna Garden’s mission is to create and keep a beautiful landscape and community that provides nourishment, support, healing, knowledge, resilience, and spiritual growth. The Krishna Garden is an extension of the Krishna Temple and its teachings. We only grow nutrient-dense, beyond organic food that is vegetarian friendly. We wish to share our abundance of resources and knowledge regarding Permaculture with others, especially with those who we see are committed and passionate about Permaculture, to help them create Permaculture gardens. This garden is our Sanctuary.
History of the Krishna Garden
Let us share a bit about the birth, life, transformation, and continuing journey of the Krishna Garden, including its ups and downs. The Krishna Garden is an urban story of reclaiming the land for the benefit of the entire Natural Community. One might be surprised to learn that the budding food forest growing behind the SLC Krishna Temple right now was an once an abandoned orchard only 6 years ago.
During each of the past 6 years, a different set of gardeners with varying degrees of skill offered to help in the garden. There have been many people interested in “helping” with the garden, yet each person has faded back, and a few have caused more set backs than progress. Over the course of time, trial, and tribulation, it was Randy Gordon that persisted most, and became the garden’s official land steward, keeping up the garden year after year. Below is a photograph of the garden when someone had put in old carpet as weed barrier: a testament to the roller coaster of beginning a community garden. We urge that no one use old carpet as weed barrier! It’s toxic, and as it decays, it leaves micro trash in your garden!
Fortunately, in 2017, we have seen a much more promising story! There has been a fabulous coalescence of forces coming together, especially between the Salt Lake Permaculture Guild, Ecstatic Dance, and Michael & Maomi Cundick. A Sunday at the Krishna Temple has transformed from ordinary to extraordinary, with community members now participating in a combination of Yoga, Ecstatic dance, and gardening!
Thanks to the passionate gardener, Randy Gordon, the once abandoned orchard behind the SLC Krishna Temple now has life, and a beautiful community has been born. The Krishna Garden is still young; yet, because of the powerful and still growing momentum of garden’s community, it has the potential to become a permaculture designer’s fantasy food forest! We invite you to join us in our mission to appreciate and heal the world, through the love of food, nature, and people!
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Garden Map and Set Up
Basic Info
- The Krishna Garden is open to the public for visiting during scheduled volunteer hours. Mondays from 4-6 pm & most Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am- 6pm.
- Parking is located in front and behind the Krishna Temple. Only permitted individuals may park on actual garden grounds.
- Bathrooms and water fountains are located in the temple.
Guidelines, Expectations, and Regulations
Basic Guidelines
- Be respectful
- Do not bring meat or alcohol to the temple or its garden
- Take accountability for your own actions
Krishna Guidelines (In Temple)
- Don’t go into the temple kitchen
- Wash dishes in the sink in the children’s room in the temple
Krishna Guidelines (In Garden and on Temple Grounds)
- Do not bring junk to the garden
- Be safe: sign volunteer waiver
- Donations welcome: Touch bases with organizers before bringing them.
- Keep harsh chemicals off the land: pesticides, herbicides, and other harsh chemicals.
- Do not bring meat or alcohol to the temple
- Bring clothing for outside weather and gardening. You might get dirty.
- Tools will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own, and please mark your tools and property that you bring.
- Please eat anything in the garden as you work.
- Produce is only for volunteers, temple members
- Please leave pets at home
- Clean up after yourself
- Make no waste
- Please only bring reusable dining materials