Boulder-based nonprofit Growing Gardens is on a mission to cultivate community through sustainable urban agriculture, and they have a full lineup of spring and summer activities that do just that. Whether your littles are in need of a summer job or you’re just looking for an afternoon outing, you’re sure to find a program for you and your family. Contact them directly for information on one-time visits, but for now, check out these great upcoming programs.
The Children’s Peace Garden
Kids between the ages of 3 and 11 can connect with the earth and get their hands dirty at the Children’s Peace Garden, a fun and educational place for younger children to learn about their food’s origins and basic organic gardening practices. If your kids don’t get a chance to visit the garden through a school trip (the garden offers classroom visits for preschool and elementary-aged children and hosts spring, summer and fall field trips), check out the After School Garden Club, full-day activities for kids on Boulder Valley School District days off, nine weeks of summer camps, and birthday parties at the garden.
The Cultiva Youth Project
Older kiddos itching to get out of the house during the summer months will feel right at home at Cultiva, a youth-operated organic farm that hires young adults between the ages of 12 and 19 to maintain the garden and give back to the community. In addition to managing the two-acre garden, youth participants are directly involved with planting, harvesting, and selling weekly shares of produce to members of Growing Gardens’ Cultiva CSA. Through hands-on seminars and workshops, participants learn about nutrition, food preparation, community service, and sustainable agriculture while developing valuable leadership and business skills along the way.
Growing Gardens Food Project
Ensuring the health and self-sufficiency of community members while reducing waste are at the heart of the Growing Gardens Food Project, which provides low-income or needs-based community members and organizations with fresh, organic produce and plant starts and seeds so they can grow food for their families. Growing Gardens rallies its various programs around this cause by encouraging its community gardeners to donate excess produce from their garden to charities, including Community Food Share and Boulder Food Rescue. Cultiva Youth Project participants also help out by selling any remaining produce at farmers’ markets and donating all proceeds toward the program.
Excitingly, Growing Gardens and the YMCA of Boulder Valley recently partnered on a brand-new, 100% donation organic vegetable garden and educational site in Longmont, known as the Food Project Farm, which will break ground this spring. 100% of produce grown will be donated to local food pantries. What’s not to love about that?
Community Classes
Learning doesn’t have to stop once you’re grown up! Growing Gardens offers fun community classes for adult learners on such topics as garden planning and design, controlling pests and diseases in your garden, and even beekeeping!
Horticultural Therapy Program
It’s tough to deny the therapeutic properties of gardening, and that’s why Growing Gardens offers a Horticultural Therapy Program that holds gardening classes for seniors and people with disabilities to increase motor, cognitive, and psychological functions. Through these classes, participants tend to their own organic vegetable and flower container gardens, while building community among other participants.
No matter your age, roll up your sleeves and get ready to dig into the dirt this spring and summer with these programs at Growing Gardens. Have fun!