There is a growing awareness in our community and country as to
the importance of consuming nutritionally rich food. The overall benefit to human health and the
environment have been documented, and many community groups, churches and
business have started community gardens as a result of this awareness. The
American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) estimates that there are more
than 18,000 community gardens in the U.S. and Canada alone. In the Treasure
Valley, currently 18 community gardens are operating on record. Unfortunately, the list is continually
shifting as one garden appears and another disappears. So often a new community garden is started
with such passion and excitement only to wither the following year.
At BUGS (Boise Urban Garden School), we don’t just want to create gardens; we want to create
communities that garden together. To accomplish this goal community gardens
must develop a plan for success that will maintain a lasting place in our
public spaces. To encourage community garden successes, BUGS is piloting a new
adult community garden education series called Row by Row in 2012.
Series Objectives
Row by Row guides through organic gardening in a communal community garden setting. All students
will work as a group to plan and plant the garden space, tend the garden, and share in the harvest.
Students can expect:
- hands-on experiences with nature and gardening
- soil composition and composting techniques
- seed propagation and planting instruction
- natural weed and pest management tips
- a share in the annual harvest
- information and education to start your own organic community garden
- to participate in approximately 2 hours of garden work outside of the regularly scheduled class time
Who: Open to participants ages 17+
When: May 3rd-November 15th, Thursday evenings
May class time 5:30-dusk, June class time 6:30-dusk
Where: The Salvation Army, 1904 West Bannock Street, Boise, 83702
Cost: $325 (payment plans are available)
Visit www.boiseurbangardenschool.org under the
“Get Your Hands Dirty” tab to learn more about the program and to enroll.