'Ten Acres and a Dream' workshop offered in Post Falls

Idaho is well-known for extensive public lands; so much that people sometimes lose sight of how much private land we have in selected regions of the state. For example, Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, and Benewah counties collectively have over 1.5 million acres of private lands — 47.5% of all lands in those counties.

Some of these private parcels are in large blocks, but most of them are smaller parcels owned by an ever-growing number of private landowners. Uses of these lands vary from forest, to pasture, to crops. People who move to these sites have many ideas as to what they want from the land but they may be less aware of how to achieve those goals or the tasks associated with living on and maintaining rural property.

University of Idaho Extension is offering a 1-day program designed to help owners of small rural acreages manage their land and meet their goals. The program, titled “10 Acres and a Dream”, was the idea of Idaho Master Forest Stewards, most of whom are private landowners themselves, and have interacted with a variety of new rural landowners who have struggled with making their dream of owning and tending rural property a reality.

“Ten Acres and a Dream” will be held in Post Falls, Idaho on Saturday, May 11. Topics covered in the program will include: living on the land — a great American tradition; homesteading infrastructure; growing fruits, vegetables, and other crops on small acreages; working with county government; raising large and small livestock and managing pastures on small acreages; and Idaho Panhandle forestry fundamentals. The program will conclude with a panel of three University of Idaho Master Forest Stewards sharing their Idaho rural living experiences.

Program enrollment is limited to 45 participants. Those wishing to participate should pre-register as soon as possible, but no later than May 3.

 A $15 registration fee includes resource materials and refreshments. Online registration with a credit card is available by going to: https://marketplace.uidaho.edu/, then scrolling to, and clicking on “University of Idaho Extension: Panhandle Forestry.” 

Registration forms for mailing can also be downloaded at www.uidaho.edu/extension/forestry/programs. For registration questions, contact the University of Idaho Extension office in Kootenai County at 208-292-2525. This program is co-sponsored by University of Idaho Extension and the Idaho Department of Lands.