Zenda Community Garden

Want fresh vegetables for your family?

Don't have time or turf to plant your own garden? Join the Zenda Community Garden! We provide the land, you help plant and tend, and then reap the harvest!

If you're interested in joining the garden, download an application. Applications will be accepted throughout the growing season!

The Zenda Community Garden...

is located at TILT's Zenda Farms Preserve, just outside the Village of Clayton. TILT and the Thousand Islands Young Leaders Organization (TIYLO) started the Zenda Community Garden in 2009 to help provide all community members with the opportunity to grow their own fresh vegetables. In early 2010, organizers applied for and received a grant from the Northern New York Community Foundation to expand the garden and allow more families to participate.

The garden offers 6,000 square feet of planting space, access to experts, and the support of fellow gardeners. Annual membership dues are $25/family, to help cover the cost of supplies and materials. These dues can be submitted along with your application.

The Kids Korner Learning Garden...

was added to a corner of the Community Garden in 2013, and further expanded on in 2014 thanks to a generous grant from the Northern New York Community Foundation, in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County for the Adopting Healthy Habits Community Coalition! Each year, the “Kids Korner” Garden is planted by local children, with this project taken on by Girl Scout Troops, Boy Scout Troops, and the Clayton Area Preschool. The “Kids Korner” includes kid-friendly innovative and interactive planting techniques, which over the years have included an herb spiral, “pizza gardens”, a “three-sisters” mound, and a sunflower house. We encourage visitors to enjoy the "Kids' Korner" and even sample a cherry tomato or two!

The Natural Play Area...

is located next to the Community Garden, where kids can safely play while staying within sight. This area was also created as a part of the Adopting Healthy Habits Community Coalition in 2014, and provides children of all ages with an area at Zenda to call their own. The Natural Play Area consists primarily of "found" natural materials and includes a teepee, a sandbox, and a tree swing. As Zenda Farms Preserve continues to grow, we plan to expand on these areas and provide even more programming to connect kids with nature! 

Thank you to our Donors & Supporters!

The Community Garden and “Kids Korner” Garden would not be possible without the annual support of local businesses and organizations, through in-kind donations, hours volunteered, and expertise provided. Thank you!

  • Chapin Living Waters, Watertown, NY
  • DeLuke’s Garden Center, Clayton, NY
  • Krings Nursery, Alexandria Bay, NY
  • White’s Lumber, Clayton, NY
  • LaFargeville Agway, LaFargeville, NY
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County

Stay updated by joining the Zenda Community Garden facebook page. For more information on the Zenda Community Garden, contact TILT at 315-686-5345 or [email protected].

If you're interested in joining the garden, download an application.