Hope on the Block · Fond du Lac
Hamilton Park
Community Garden
Fresh produce grown by the community, for the community — free to anyone when it's ready to harvest. No membership, no fees, no questions.
Grown here. Free to take. No strings attached.
The Hamilton Park Community Garden is tucked into Hamilton Park in Fond du Lac, between Forest Ave. and Division St. It's one of Hope on the Block's newest programs — and one of our most tangible: real food, grown in the ground, free for anyone in the community to harvest when it's ready.
Produce from the garden also supplements our pantry supplies throughout the growing season, helping us keep fresh options available alongside the shelf-stable items neighbors rely on year-round.
The garden is tended by community volunteers and is open to all. If something is ripe, it's yours.
Get Involved
Simple as it gets.
This isn't a plot-rental garden or a members-only space. It's a community resource — tended by volunteers, open to everyone.
Volunteers plant & tend
Community members — individuals, families, groups — come out during the season to plant, water, weed, and care for the beds. No experience required.
Produce grows through the season
The garden runs through the warm months — typically May through October — with different crops ready at different points throughout summer and fall.
Anyone can harvest
When produce is ready, the community is free to harvest it. No sign-up, no limit, no membership. If it's ripe and you need it, take it.
Surplus goes to the pantries
Extra harvest that isn't picked from the garden goes to our FDL and North FDL pantries, so fresh produce reaches even more neighbors.
A little bit of everything.
What's planted each year varies based on donations, volunteer expertise, and what grows well in Fond du Lac's Zone 5 climate. Here's a sample of what you might find ready to pick.
Leafy Greens
Lettuce, kale, chard, spinach
Tomatoes
Slicing, cherry, paste varieties
Cucumbers
Slicing & pickling types
Peppers
Sweet bell & mild varieties
Root Vegetables
Carrots, radishes, beets
Herbs
Basil, parsley, cilantro
Beans & Peas
Green beans, snap peas
Cut Flowers
Sunflowers & seasonal blooms
When is something ready to pick?
The best rule of thumb: if it looks ripe, it probably is. Check back throughout the growing season — different crops come ready from June through October. Follow us on social media for harvest updates, or just stop by the park and see what's ready.
Where to find us in Hamilton Park.
📍 Location
Hamilton Park
Fond du Lac, WI
Between Forest Ave. and Division St. Look for the raised beds near the park grounds.
🌤 Growing Season
May – October (approximate)
The garden is open to the community throughout the growing season. First harvests typically arrive in June; the season winds down after first frost.
What's happening when.
Fond du Lac sits in USDA Hardiness Zone 5b — warm summers, cold winters, and a solid 150-day growing season. Here's a rough guide to what's happening in and around the garden each season.
Soil prep and bed setup. Cool-weather crops go in — lettuce, spinach, peas, radishes. Great time to volunteer for planting days.
Peak growing season. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, herbs, and flowers all coming in. First harvests open to the community in June.
Late-season harvests and root vegetables. Surplus goes to the pantries. Garden winds down after first hard frost, typically mid-October.
Garden rests. A great time to donate seeds or supplies, or connect with us about volunteering in the coming season.
The garden runs on volunteer energy.
No gardening experience is needed — just a willingness to get your hands dirty. We welcome individuals, families, youth groups, and organizations throughout the season.
Ways to help at the garden:
- Spring planting days — sow seeds and transplant starts
- Ongoing weeding, watering, and bed maintenance
- Harvest days — pick and distribute produce
- Donate seeds, starts, or gardening supplies
- End-of-season cleanup and bed winterization
Ready to dig in?
Email us to find out what's needed this season and when the next volunteer day is. We'll match you with a task that fits your schedule and experience level.
Seeds, tools, and supplies donations also gratefully accepted.
Email Us to Get StartedMore ways Hope on the Block shows up.
🛒 FDL Community Pantry
Free food and hygiene essentials, available 24/7 at our Advocap location. Garden surplus goes here first.
Visit the pantry →🛒 North FDL Pantry
Same free essentials, serving north-side neighbors at the Spillman Public Library, 24/7.
Visit the pantry →🍽️ Friday Meal
Every Friday at 5 PM at Cathedral of St. Paul — about 80 free hot meals served by community volunteers.
Learn more →Come grow something good.
Whether you pull weeds for an hour or donate a packet of seeds, every contribution helps feed our neighbors.
Volunteer at the Garden Donate to Support the GardenQuestions? hopeontheblockfdl@gmail.com · EIN: 92-1048256