New World Survival · Community Garden Field Manual

Resilience & Continuity Workbook

Reduce the garden to safe essential functions during heat, drought, irrigation failure, flooding or extended absence, then restart with a documented recovery review.

Core rule: Preserving every crop is not the goal. People, safe water, food-safety boundaries, critical access and clear authority come first.

1. Continuity leadership

Decision lead

Backup decision lead

Garden emergency contact

Landowner / sponsor contact

2. Critical systems map

Mark water source/shutoff, irrigation zones, main routes, gates, shed, electrical if present, flood-prone areas, donation/harvest staging, safe weather shelter and emergency access.

3. Minimum viable garden matrix

System	Must remain functional?	Minimum task	Owner	What pauses first?
People/site safety	☐
Water source/shutoff	☐
Priority crops	☐
Harvest/food safety	☐
Routes/gates	☐
Donation commitments	☐
Communication	☐

4. Trigger / action table

Trigger	Source/threshold	Prewritten action	Who decides	Who must be told

5. Heat / lightning plan

Forecast source

Safe substantial building / hard-topped vehicle

Potable water location

Shade/cool recovery area

Tasks that become lighter/shorter

Who stops outdoor work?

6. Drought / restriction record

Date	Drought/utility stage	Actual watering rule	Source/link/contact	Garden change

7. Crop water-triage worksheet

Bed/crop	Established/new?	Crop stage	Root volume/container?	Replaceability	Commitment	Priority/action

8. Water-demand reduction checklist

☐ Leaks repaired / zones isolated

☐ Root-zone moisture checked before extra watering

☐ New planting paused if establishment cannot be supported

☐ Ripe crops harvested

☐ Water-competing weeds prioritized

☐ Mulch condition reviewed

☐ Container shade/grouping reviewed where appropriate

☐ Donation crop commitments revised if needed

9. Irrigation failure / outage card

Failure type

Source safe to use?
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown

Shutoff / isolation instruction

Repair contact / parts

Approved backup source

Priority beds during outage

10. Alternate-water verification

Source	Intended crop/use	Quality/testing	Local rule	Approved by	Status
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop
					☐ approved ☐ investigate ☐ stop

11. Extended Absence Coverage Card

Away dates

Primary / backup caretaker

Access / keys / codes

Current water restriction

Priority beds / root-zone method

Harvest priorities

Donation commitments

Leak/failure contact

12. Backup decision rights

Decision	Backup may decide?	Call first?	Rule / limit
Shut off irrigation	☐ yes ☐ no
Change irrigation runtime	☐ yes ☐ no
Harvest ripe produce	☐ yes ☐ no
Donate planned produce	☐ yes ☐ no
Suspend workday/event	☐ yes ☐ no
Close flooded bed/area	☐ yes ☐ no
Remove failed crop	☐ yes ☐ no
Contact landowner/utility	☐ yes ☐ no

13. Flood event record

Date / water source if known

High-water time / duration

Possible contamination sources

Photos / map reference

Edible portion contacted?	Underground crop in flooded soil?	Marked/segregated?
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown	☐	☐

14. Flood cleanup / exposure controls

☐ Site entry declared safe enough for garden cleanup

☐ Vulnerable people kept away until hazards addressed

☐ Gloves/closed footwear/other appropriate protection used

☐ Flood-affected plant residue kept out of ordinary garden compost

☐ Tools cleaned

☐ Clothing/shoes managed to avoid tracking contaminants indoors

☐ Irrigation source checked if affected

☐ Chemical-contaminant testing question routed appropriately

15. Post-flood replant verification

Question	Finding / source	Who advised	Decision
Edible crop area cleared for replant?
Likely chemical contaminants identified?
Soil test needed / correct analyte?
Irrigation water safe?
Local/state/Extension replant timing?
Unflooded areas protected from cross-contamination?

Do not enter a universal number of waiting days. Record the event-specific guidance.

16. Donation / harvest continuity

Commitment	Can quality/safety still be met?	Continue / reduce / suspend	Recipient notified?	Backup plan
	☐		☐
	☐		☐
	☐		☐
	☐		☐
	☐		☐
	☐		☐
	☐		☐
	☐		☐

17. Communication log

Date/time	Status / decision	Audience	Channel	Sent by	Needs follow-up?

18. Restart inspection

☐ Site safe to enter

☐ Water source / advisory status verified

☐ Irrigation system inspected and calibrated

☐ Routes/gates/access restored

☐ Flood-affected food disposition resolved

☐ Soil/water testing questions resolved

☐ Tool/storage condition checked

☐ Donation/recipient commitments reset

☐ Gardeners told what is open/closed

19. After-action review

Question	Finding	Change before next season
What failed first?
Which system had one-person dependency?
What used the most water/labor?
What crop could have been paused earlier?
What source/contact was missing?
What communication worked best?
What safety stop worked?
What should be simplified?

20. Annual continuity handoff

☐ Decision lead and backup current

☐ Critical systems map current

☐ Water/shutoff/repair contacts current

☐ Drought restriction source current

☐ Flood-prone areas marked

☐ Safe weather shelter confirmed

☐ Alternate water sources verified or explicitly not approved

☐ Absence Coverage Card tested

☐ Donation continuity plan current

☐ Incoming steward can run the minimum viable garden without verbal help