GROW tilling up the dirt for spring gardening space

Gardeners for Regional Organic Well-being will spruce up the Bonners Ferry community garden for this growing season.

GROW will prepare the gardens beginning at  9 a.m., Saturday, May 7, in the gardens located behind Trinity Lutheran Church.

The GROW garden, which was donated by Trinity Lutheran Church in 2009, has 36 gardening spaces available.

People can rent a space for the season for $25 for one or $40 for two which are about four by 20 feet.

  GROW member Jerry Pavia recently published an article in Grit magazine about the organization and its success in Bonners Ferry. The magazine highlights rural America.

GROW is in its third season and Pavia said community gardening  provides food for local families and food banks, and is a way to bring communities together.

It provides gardening space for people who live in apartment buildings or who don’t have space of their own who would like to grow their own fruits and vegetables. 

GROW also provides planting, harvesting, composting and food storage education.

The gardens are maintained by students and volunteers.

There were three locations last season and Pavia said this year there will be two.

For now the group wants to concentrate on getting the gardens near the church ready for planting.

With the fee for the space, people get a planting bed, a hose and tools.

“The Bonners Ferry Rotary Club gave us a grant to buy garden hoses so they are there for the gardeners and they can tend to their garden 24/7,” said Pavia.

At the end of the season Pavia said the group also has a clean up day to gather everything up and put it away for the winter. The community gardens has been a wonderful way for neighbors and community members to gather and visit.

“We are very supported by the local community local members and businesses that donate to us,” said Pavia.  “The entire community has been great.”

To read Pavia’s article written for Grit magazine go to www.Grit.com