Common Ground Community Development

10/12/2026

Feeling grateful for soil, water, sun and fresh air and a community coming together to grow and prepare food for those who need it. Thank you to our volunteers, our funders, donors and supporters.

09/25/2026

Check out this awesome preserving workshop with local food superstars, Dan Rubin of Perfectly Perennial Herbs and Shawn Dawson of Barking Kettle! Common Ground has presented this workshop before, and it was so informative and so much fun. Space is filling up fast so don't miss out and register now!

In a Jam: Preserving Workshops!

Learn how to preserve and store food. This workshop will cover drying, salting, freezing, fermenting, canning, pickling and root cellars. The hands-on part of the workshop will show participants how to make jam, using the hot pack method. Participants are asked to bring one pound of fruit of their choice and will go home with a sealed jar of delicious multi-fruit jam. Participants will also receive a printed multi-page handout covering food preserving methods and favourite recipes.

Workshop fee: $40 per person.

ST. JOHN’S
Date & Time: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM NDT
Location: St. John’s Farmers’ Market Community Room, 245 Freshwater Road, St. John’s, NL
Presenters: Dan Rubin (Food Activist and Author) & Shawn Dawson (Master Forager and Author)

For more information on the St. John's workshop, email [email protected].

IMPORTANT: This session will be filmed by “Sibelle Productions!”, a local video company, for broadcast as part of the Advancing Public Trust in Local Food project. Participants will be on camera during the filming of the workshop.

CONCEPTION BAY SOUTH
Date & Time: Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM NDT
Location: Manuels River Community Centre, 7 Conception Bay Highway, Conception Bay South, NL
Presenters: Dan Rubin (Food Activist and Author) & Shawn Dawson (Master Forager and Author)

For more information on the CBS workshop, contact Town of CBS Recreation and Leisure Services at 709-834-6500 ext. 601 or [email protected].

To register for either workshop, please visit https://www.foodproducersforum.com/workshops

Presented as part of Food Producers Forum Advancing Public Trust in Local Food Project, in collaboration with Common Ground Community Development and our many community partners across the province, with the support of the Government of Canada through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador through the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development and the Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands.

07/20/2026

Thank you to the Pippy Park organizers, the many wonderful people seeking volunteer opportunities, and the amazing organizations who made yesterday's volunteer fair at North Bank Lodge a great success! Interested in volunteering at Common Ground's garden and greenhouse site? Join in the fun and help us to grow food for local charities! You can always DM me (Lori Heath, Project Manager) here, or reach out through our website at https://rootconnection.wixsite.com/common-ground!

07/17/2026

🙌 Looking for a way to get involved in your community? Come see what’s out there!
Join us for the Volunteer Fair in Pippy Park and meet local organizations doing incredible work right here in our community. 💚
Whether you’re ready to volunteer, curious about different opportunities, or just want to learn more about the organizations making a difference, this is a great place to start.
✨ Meet local organizations
✨ Discover volunteer opportunities
✨ Find the perfect fit for your interests
✨ Learn how you can make a difference
📅 Sunday, July 19, 2026
⏰ 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
📍 North Bank Lodge, Pippy Park
Everyone is welcome! Drop by, meet our amazing Park Partners, ask questions and see where volunteering might take you. 😊
📲 RSVP using the QR code on the poster.
Tag someone who’s been saying, “I’d love to volunteer, I just don’t know where to start!” 👇💚
Presented in Partnership with:
Easter Seals NL
O'Brien Farm Foundation
YMCA of Newfoundland and Labrador
Autism Society, Newfoundland & Labrador
Food Producers Forum
Ronald McDonald House NL
Rainbow Riders - Therapeutic Riding Newfoundland and Labrador Inc.
Marine Institute, Memorial University
Cloudberry Outdoor Play and Education
Common Ground Community Development

🙌 Looking for a way to get involved in your community? Come see what’s out there!

Join us for the Volunteer Fair in Pippy Park and meet local organizations doing incredible work right here in our community. 💚

Whether you’re ready to volunteer, curious about different opportunities, or just want to learn more about the organizations making a difference, this is a great place to start.

✨ Meet local organizations
✨ Discover volunteer opportunities
✨ Find the perfect fit for your interests
✨ Learn how you can make a difference

📅 Sunday, July 19, 2026
⏰ 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
📍 North Bank Lodge, Pippy Park

Everyone is welcome! Drop by, meet our amazing Park Partners, ask questions and see where volunteering might take you. 😊

📲 RSVP using the QR code on the poster.

Tag someone who’s been saying, “I’d love to volunteer, I just don’t know where to start!” 👇💚

Presented in Partnership with:
Easter Seals NL
O'Brien Farm Foundation
YMCA of Newfoundland and Labrador
Autism Society, Newfoundland & Labrador
Food Producers Forum
Ronald McDonald House NL
Rainbow Riders - Therapeutic Riding Newfoundland and Labrador Inc.
Marine Institute, Memorial University
Cloudberry Outdoor Play and Education
Common Ground Community Development: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064453429414

12/22/2025

12/13/2025

Does anyone have any leaves to spare?

Send a message to learn more

12/12/2025

We are selling one of our sheds to cover the cost of the water we had to buy for the garden during the drought last summer! Click on the Marketplace link below for more information! https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1296025459217651/

12/02/2025

Over the holidays, please consider Common Ground for your holiday giving!

Since 2011, Common Ground Community Development has initiated projects that encourage and assist local residents to grow their own food, while making donations of fresh vegetables to local charities.

Past projects have included the St. John's Safer Soil Project, (which promotes lead-safe gardening in urban areas), agricultural field trials, two demonstration gardens, and dozens of workshops and garden tours on various gardening topics. We are inspired by the ethics and principles of permaculture as we continue to develop and expand our non-profit community garden in Pippy Park, which includes a year-round greenhouse nearing completion.

Despite the water shortages of the past summer, (and having to buy water to keep the garden going), this has been our most productive year yet. With the help of our fabulous volunteers and supporters, we have donated potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, lettuce, beets, cucumber, zucchini, chard, kale, peas, leeks, kohlrabi, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs to the Gathering Place, Choices for Youth, Iris Kirby House, and Bridges to Hope!

On behalf of Common Ground, we wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season, and we thank you for considering us in your holiday giving!

You can visit our GoFundMe for our greenhouse and garden at https://gofund.me/a36a3233 !

To find out more about Common Ground, or to volunteer in our garden and greenhouse activities, visit our website at https://rootconnection.wixsite.com/common-ground