ACGA AR

05/01/2026

We can't wait to see you in beautiful Arkansas in June! 🍓🌻

Have you registered? 🌾🍅🥦

Register Here: acgaconference.org

05/01/2026

We can't wait to see YOU in June!🧑‍🌾🥦

Click Here to Register: acgaconference.org

03/29/2026

Have you registered for the conference? 🧑‍🌾🍠

A national community gardening advocacy group will take up the issue of food insecurity in June when it hosts its annual conference in Little Rock.

03/29/2026

Learn about all of this and so much more at the American Community Gardening Association conference in beautiful Little Rock, Arkansas.

Join us June 4 - June 7th. Register today!

https://www.eventcreate.com/e/american-community-garden-a

A lot of raised beds start failing before the first transplant goes in. Not because of sun. Not because of spacing. Because the soil itself is the problem.

Most bagged soils look identical on the shelf — same earthy brown, same word organic in big letters. But what's inside varies more than most gardeners realize.

Some contain biosolids from municipal sewage processing, which can carry heavy metals and persistent compounds that don't break down in soil the way organic matter does. Others use plastic-coated slow-release fertilizer pellets that shed microplastics across a full growing season. Bulk topsoil from unknown sources can still hold aminopyralid — an herbicide that persists in soil for years after the original field was treated and doesn't care that it changed zip codes. A tomato plant in aminopyralid-contaminated soil curls its leaves and stops producing, and there's no fix once it's in your bed.

Growing food isn't only about what you feed the soil. It's about what was already in the bag when you opened it.

🌿 What to look for before you fill a bed this spring:

- Flip the bag over and read the ingredient list, not the front label — the marketing says organic, the ingredients tell you what's actually in it
- Avoid anything listing biosolids, sewage sludge, or municipal waste as a component
- Look for named, specific ingredients — composted bark, peat or coir, perlite, worm castings. The vaguer the list, the more questions you should have
- If buying bulk topsoil, ask the supplier where it was sourced and whether it's been tested for herbicide residue
- For your first bed, a simple mix of one-third quality compost, one-third topsoil from a known source, and one-third perlite or coarse vermiculite gives you a clean starting point you can trust

The best raised bed in the world grows nothing useful if the soil inside it came with problems you can't see 🌱

03/29/2026

We can't wait to see everyone in June!👩‍🌾🍎🧑‍🌾🥦👨‍🌾🥕

03/26/2026

Spread the word...

Partnership in Action - stay tuned @
ACGA AR

03/04/2026

🌿 You’re invited to the 2026 American Community Gardening Association National Conference! 🌿

Join community leaders, gardeners, educators, and advocates in Little Rock, Arkansas, from June 4–7, 2026, for an inspiring national gathering focused on strengthening local food systems.

This year’s theme, “Pathways to Food Security: Localizing Solutions,” highlights innovative, community-driven approaches to building sustainable and equitable access to food.

🌱 Engaging workshops
🌱 Thought-provoking speakers
🌱 Meaningful networking
🌱 A shared commitment to growing stronger communities

Save the date and follow along for updates on registration and programming.



https://www.eventcreate.com/e/american-community-garden-a