Stafford Township has three community gardens that begin to wake up in April and May, as volunteers start to feel the familiar yen to roll up their sleeves and work the soil, cultivating food, beauty and neighborly relations. Each has its own distinctive character and history; together, they provide residents with fresh produce, help raise money to support food banks and stock the Little Free Pantries, teach kids about gardening, and earn points toward Sustainable Jersey certification.

Meanwhile the Stafford Township Garden Club, after its monthly meeting on April 14, filled the planters in front of the…