Friendship Gardens of Cape Cod is a project that local Quakers started in 2023 to directly address food insecurity on Cape Cod. Our three goals have been to grow food for those in need, to help individuals learn to grow their own food, and to build community with the people we serve as well as within our volunteers.
Each year, we grow fresh, organic vegetables to give to those in need. The food is typically grown with regenerative gardening techniques, harvested weekly during the growing season, and given to the Falmouth Service Center (a local food pantry) and other local groups or individuals.
In addition, to meet our second objective, Friendship Gardens also partners with the Service Center to help their clients learn to grow their own food. We provide taste tests of lettuce and gazpacho, give away lots of plants, pots, seeds, and composting materials to the clients, and encourage them in their efforts to grow vegetables.
Our project began with a 300-sq. ft. garden in the space behind the West Falmouth Quaker meetinghouse. In 2026, we expanded by adding a new 800 sq. ft. growing space within the Berry Patch Community Garden on the Tony Andrews Farm in E. Falmouth.
This project has been a joy. We worked together and built a small community of gardeners committed to improving food security. In addition, we developed a strong connection to those at the Service Center and the others that we serve.
What can you do?
There are multiple opportunities for you to make a difference:
— We welcome help at every stage of this project, including planning the garden, preparing the beds, growing the seeds, working in the garden, delivering food to the Wampanoag shelter, and fund-raising.
— We are always interested in new ideas about how we can better address the issues of food insecurity on Cape Cod.
We welcome everyone, including those with no previous gardening experience.
So please join us!
Contacts: Steve Gates and Alan Burt
Our project has been supported by grants from Quaker Earthcare Witness (2025), the Susan B. Kirby fund of the Sandwich Quarter (2025) and the Woods Hole Foundation (2026), as well as by funding individuals and from the W. Falmouth and E. Sandwich meetings; we are so thankful for all this support!
Friendship Gardens is a project of The Peace Abbey. If you would like to support this project, please write your check to The Peace Abbey with “Friendship Gardens” in the memo line.