Benson High Construction & Design Academy students at the garden
We want to thank you for making 2025 such a meaningful and productive year at the Benson Community Garden. Participation has been at an all-time high, and it’s been a joy to see how this little corner of Benson has come alive with activity, color, and community.
This year, we subscribed to Constant Contact to stay in touch with gardeners and the wider community. It seems to be working well, though we think a few emails might be ending up in spam folders. If you or anyone you know isn’t receiving our updates, please let us know.
One of the most exciting developments this season has been our new collaboration with the Benson High School Design & Construction Academy. The students, under the guidance of instructor/program facilitator Mr. Shane Kramer, have been visiting regularly to lend their skills and creativity to garden projects. They’ve rebuilt sections of the fence, stained our chairs, assembled the new compost tumbler, and landscaped the prickly pear cactus mound. Their enthusiasm and craftsmanship have been inspiring to watch. These young people are learning valuable hands-on trade and teamwork skills, and their impact here has been tremendous. We’re looking forward to working with them again next year as they help us with the upcoming construction project.
NOTE: The school’s program purchased a number of treated 4×4 posts and horizontal boards for around $145. This week, we made a donation of $150 back to the program to support it.
We also made some exciting additions around the garden this year. A small pond was installed near the pollinator garden to support wildlife and create a peaceful spot for visitors. In the common areas, we planted several new native and edible species including pawpaw trees (3), elderberry, blackberries, raspberries, two serviceberry trees, a beautyberry bush, and hazelnuts. Each of these has been labeled, and we’ll continue adding more in 2026 as part of our mission to educate and inspire. We want people to see that there are many incredible plants that can thrive right here in eastern Nebraska — plants that many have never even heard of!
It’s also worth celebrating that our garden achieved two major certifications this year: we are now recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation, and our pollinator garden is officially a Certified Pollinator Habitat through the University of Nebraska. These honors are a testament to everyone’s dedication and care.
Now for a few important reminders as we wrap up the season…
Trick-or-Treat in the Garden
Sunday, October 26, 5–7 p.m.
We’re ending the season with something fun for the whole neighborhood. Our Trick-or-Treat in the Garden event will take place on Sunday, October 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. Kids will visit the garden in costume to collect treats from our gardeners. Invite neighborhood families to attend! If you’d like to participate, please let us know. We would love to have you here. Costumes are optional but encouraged (Kurt and Jenny are planning to be “The Flintstones”). If you can’t attend, you can still donate candy to help out. Simply put the candy in a bag with a note of who donated it and put it on our front porch (6004 Lafayette).
We’ll start setting up around 4 p.m. If you’re handing out candy, please bring a lawn chair for your space. We also need a few volunteers to help decorate and clean up afterward. We don’t have many decorations if you want to loan us some for those 2 hours.
This will be a fun, family-friendly way to close the season and show off our community spirit.
Garden Closing – October 31
The garden officially closes for the season at sunset on Friday, October 31, 2025. Please clear your plot completely by that date.
Here’s what to do:
- Remove all plants, stakes, fencing, and decorations and take them home. Anything left here after Oct. 31 will be thrown away or repurposed in another way for another season.
- Neatly stack any garden cages you borrowed from the shed along the fence.
- Dig up and take home any perennials you’d like to keep. Everything must be cleared this year in preparation for construction.
November 1st the garden will be padlocked closed so we can safely drop the large apple tree and begin chopping it up.
Preparing for 2026 – Fewer Plots, Fresh Plans
Early rendering of Villa Terra structure, planned for Benson Community Garden in 2026.
If you’d like to take a year off, please let us know — we’ll do our best to work you back in for 2027 when we expect to expand again.
We’re finalizing the design for the new structure now. It will have a footprint of about 25 feet wide by 15 feet deep with a small front porch. The footprint will sit about 10 to 15 feet south of the apple tree, which will be removed due to its height and harvesting difficulty. We’ve received preliminary feedback from the city and are continuing to refine the plans. If you know of a local architect or draftsperson who could assist in creating the formal blueprints, please connect us. We already have an electrician lined up and are looking for a plumber and a concrete crew to help when the time comes.
Education Garden – Coming in 2026
The east side of the garden, where the roses once grew, will soon become the Education Garden. This new space will feature rotating exhibits, plant signage with QR codes, and displays that highlight native plants, pollinators, and sustainable gardening techniques. The goal is to create a living classroom—something beautiful, informative, and inspiring. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we think it will be one of the most unique community features in the metro area.
End-of-Season Survey
(Required to Return in 2026)
Thank you to those who have already completed the gardener survey. If you haven’t yet, please take a few minutes to fill it out. The survey is required for anyone wishing to return next year, and your honest feedback will help us improve the garden and plan for the future.
Thank You …and Stay Connected!
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to every gardener who made this season so special. Your hard work, creativity, and cooperation keep this place thriving. Whether you’re returning next year or taking a break, you’re part of this garden family and we appreciate all you do.
If you ever have questions, ideas, or just want to talk about the garden, you can reach us by email, text, or phone—or stop by when we’re there. We’ll continue to send updates through the winter as 2026 plans move forward.
Thank you again for a wonderful year. The Benson Community Garden continues to grow in both plants and people, and it’s because of all of you.
Kurt & Jenny Goetzinger
Benson Community Garden
bensongardens@gmail.com
402-714-0290
P.S. If you’ve enjoyed your experience this season, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star review on Google. It really helps others find out about the garden.
https://g.page/r/CfFnjGd91aSsEBM/review