Noko Rebel Gardeners: Growing Food, Growing Community

“It’s like a small whale.” This is how Caroline Hallstrom describes the volume of 25 cubic yards of soil she needed to find a place for in June after hustling to get it donated from the Hennepin County Master Gardener Program. Caroline, in partnership with others, led the way to start a decentralized donation garden project in the aftermath of ICE in Minneapolis. Building raised garden beds and bringing a large amount of dirt was the first place to start.

At a community meeting earlier in 2026, a discussion around food access and food insecurity came up. After being a part of an effort to get food to those who were sheltering in place during the height of ICE’s invasion, Caroline knew there was significant energy and drive within the community to do more to help those struggling with food insecurity, and as a Master Gardener, she knows a thing or two about growing food. It was at this community meeting that Caroline asked the group about interest in growing food at their homes to donate. “About 50 hands shot up”, Caroline shared, and thus, the Noko Rebel Gardeners group was born.

The group went to work to procure materials and volunteers to build raised beds for people to have at their homes. Working with local businesses and organizations, such as Kindred Construction and Lumberstash, and by hunting Facebook Marketplace and Buy Nothing Groups for free materials, as well as relying on neighbors to refurbish used lumber, the Noko Rebel Gardeners were able to secure enough materials to construct more than 20 raised garden beds. This, plus the commitment of other community members who already had their own beds, meant there were approximately 30 beds available for growing food for donations.

Then came the dirt and buckets. With 30 beds to fill, the Noko Rebel Gardeners had a charge in front of them - distributing 25 cubic feet of soil that had been placed by a dump truck into 4-5 parking spaces at Crosstown Covenant Church’s parking lot to individual homes in the neighborhood. Plus, transporting the dirt would take coordination, buckets, and heavy lifting, literally. Once again, tapping into community resources and neighbors, the group connected with Chard Your Yard and community members to procure 5-gallon buckets. Over the course of 3 days, volunteers - adults, kids and families alike - came out in droves to help fill over one hundred buckets, which were then delivered by volunteers to those with garden beds. “The vibe during digging and the dirt work was exciting, positive, and silly. It was great!” Caroline shared. 

The Noko Rebel Gardeners are more than just gardeners, they are neighbors with a passion for giving and for community. There are over 40 neighbors working together to donate produce to food shelves. The experience ranges from beginner to advance with 6 master gardeners involved. The master gardeners have brought soil testing, food safety, and answers to garden questions into the mix. The group is learning how to address food insecurity on a hyper local level, and importantly, growing together in community with each other.  “Many people stepped up and contributed in so many ways, and I am so thankful and proud to see them supporting each other!”, exclaimed Caroline. "Big shout outs to Jacob Haskins, Victor Grounds, and Vince Scott for bed work. Alicia Freeman, Yvonne Thoits, and Sarah Matthews were key to many logistics. What amazing neighbors." 

As of the end of June 2026, the Noko Rebel Gardeners has donated nearly 100 pounds of food, with a goal to donate a total of 1500 by the end of the growing season. If you are interested in learning more about the Noko Rebel Gardners, contact NENA at nena@nokomiseast.org.