Community gardens and tree planting - 1984

 BACG History Post #46

Burlington Area Community Gardens stood on its own in 1984. The fledgling nonprofit organization was overseen by a volunteer board of directors. 

BACG moved into a shared upstairs office space on Cherry Street at the corner with North Winooski Avenue.  Ben & Jerry's occupied the first floor of the building.  

BACG maintained seven community gardens in Burlington and one community garden in Winooski. A total of 349 plots were available for new and returning gardeners.

BACG Garden Sites (1984) in Burlington Vermont

Ad for BACG Director - December 1983
Craig Fuller was hired as BACG's part-time director. He took over the role from Don Miller, who remained on the BACG board. Fuller was an experienced community organizer from Texas.
 

"My primary qualifications were that I was a gardener, I owned a truck, and I knew how to plow," said Fuller.

Classified ads were placed in the Burlington Free Press to attract new gardeners and solicit donations of materials.

BACG garden plots available - 1984
Ad for Burlington Area Community Gardens - 1984
In addition to his work directing BACG, Fuller (center left in photo below) served as volunteer coordinator for the City of Burlington's tree-planting program.