Partnerships grow the garden!

In spring 2012, Jeanette Gara's NS 150 classes first proposed the garden as a way to bring sustainability education to the garden. Soon after, Gara gained administrative support, and a lot of bricks taken from old campus pathways, to build herb spirals in what is now the LC Garden.

As one of the first Work Scholars in Idaho, Doug Koch began developing the space in 2014. He put in additional garden beds. Over his three years as garden steward, he also put in irrigation, sunsails, trellis, a greenhouse, fruit trees, a whiteboard protected from the elements, and many other updates.

In 2018, Kayla Glaser become the second Garden Coordinator after Doug graduated. She has helped guide the garden to its current form as a sustainable, easy to care for, productive and beautiful space. She also helped to develop children's programming in the garden by partnering with LC Kindercollege, Kids College, and the Community Center.

Beginning in 2015, Service Learning Classes worked together to plant, maintain garden beds and help donate food through Backyard Harvest. These courses included the Institute of Intensive English and ID 140 Student Success Seminar. Starts were raised and donated by NICI.

We love our kid-helpers! Beginning in 2016, the garden has been home to children's programming through LC Kindercollege, Kids College and the Lewiston Community Center. Through these programs, children have let their imaginations soar by building, exploring, painting, all while learning basic garden techniques. Look or more programs in the future!

Can you imagine a class in which you garden and do yoga? This delightful interdisciplinary class ran 2015-2017 and produced terrific produce and health for the participants.

Since its inception, the garden partnered with Backyard Harvest to contribute to food security in this region, donating hundreds of pounds of produce to local agencies. When the Warrior Food Pantry on campus developed, the produce found its home with LC students and we have continued to donate our harvest to feed hungry Warriors ever since.

During Spring 2020, Kerensa Allison's Culture and Environment class replanned the garden to make it even more beautiful, inviting, relevant, easy to maintain, easy to snack from, and sustainable. As a result of their hard work, we have butterfly attracting flower beds, and lots of new berry varieties. Stop in and check it out!

We are still evolving and your help, direction, and support is appreciated. Please contact Rachel if you are interested in having your class or organization be a part of the garden story!