We get lots of inquiries from folks looking for information on sustainable agriculture, or starting a garden or a garden project. Here are a few of our favorite resources.
Sustainable Agriculture in Idaho
University of Idaho Soil Stewards At this website you can download one of the best resources on small scale organic farming in Idaho, Growing Towards Sustainability: Market Gardening and Production Guidebook. By Ariel Agenbroad. Ariel now works with Canyon County Extension and is an important collaborator of ours.
Rural Roots Information on farming and eating local.
Western Laboratories Soil testing services and an amazing amount of information about your soil.
Garden o' Feedin', at the Vineyard Church in Boise. This is a pantry garden which grows food for the hungry and accepts volunteers.
City of Boise Statement on Community Gardens
Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force Information on food security issues in Idaho
Local Classes
Idaho Master Gardeners
Cultivating Success
BUGS (Boise Urban Garden School)
Peaceful Belly Victory Gardens Class
Learn How to Create Your Own Garden of Eatin'
Peaceful Belly is offering a 35 week victory garden intern course. This is a hands
on course. We will start with a quarter acre piece of bare land and create a huge
plentiful organic garden from the ground up. This garden will be the students garden to run, maintain and harvest. After this course you will have the knowledge to grow all your own vegetables, berries, and fruit in your own yard.
Course Will Include:
Seed starting, greenhouse and cold frame construction, composting, compost teas,
fence building, creating an irrigation system, garden planning, trellising, equipment
maintenance, successional planting, pest control, crop rotation, companion planting, weeding, harvesting, back yard chickens, drying, canning, seed saving, and much more.
Course Cost and Benefits
The course is 35 weeks at $400 for the entire course.
All food produced in the garden will be shared among students.
Time Commitment
Class will be taught Saturdays for 2 to 3 hours. Each student is required to spend
one additional hour a week in the garden doing maintenance, weeding, watering and learning the secrets of the soil. Classes will start March 14 and go until October 17.
For an application, contact Josie at peacefulbelly@yahoo.com
Other Agriculture resources
ATTRA, National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. The best resource for articles on sustainable agriculture topics, also has an internship listing.
SARE, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. Information and grants for farmers, researchers and educators.
World Crops, Information on Ethnic Crops
Community Gardens
Check out what's going on at other community garden projects around the country!
American Community Gardening Association
Idaho Falls Community Gardens
Wasatch Community Gardens, Salt Lake City
(check out their How-to handouts)
P-Patch, Seattle
Community Gardens, Portland
Garden City Harvest, Missoula
Openlands, Chicago
City Slicker Farms, Oakland
Growing Gardens, Boulder
Sunshine Community Gardens, Austin
Community Crops, Lincoln
There are lots more out there! Contact us if you would like to be added to this list!
Seed Sources
If you are a beginning gardener, we recommend ordering a couple of seed catalogs to use as a reference. They come with good, concise information on how and when to plant each of the varieties they sell. These are some of our favorite seed sources:
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Fedco
Territorial Seed Company
(good for growing information)
Seeds of Change
(offers some donated seed to community programs)
Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply
(equipment, tools, green manure seeds)
America the Beautiful Fund
(free seeds for community gardens)
New Immigrant Agriculture Programs
We are lucky to be accompanied in this work by many similar programs around the country.
ALBA, California
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Maine
New American Sustainable Agriculture Project, Massachusetts
New Roots for Refugees, Missouri
New Immigrant Agriculture Project, Minnesota
National Immigrant Farming Initiative
, with links to other projects
Careers and Internships in Sustainable Agriculture
We anticipate hiring one part time, paid intern for the 2009 growing season, as well as one unpaid Americorps volunteer. Some of the local farms listed on our Partners page also offer internships.
Here are some other opportunities that we know of:
Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute
AmeriCorps
Cultivating Success
ATTRA Internships Page
WWOOF
Peace Corps (Volunteering with us is great preparation. Inquire within.)