Come Help at Midvale Community Garden
The Midvale Community Garden will soon be starting it’s fourth year. Though it is not quite time to start planting gardens in our area, Elsa Freeman and Deb Horn are busy thinking about the upcoming season. If you are new to gardening and want to learn more about it, working with other gardeners and asking them questions is a great way to learn. Most gardeners are thrilled to share their experience and knowledge.
The community garden is a communal garden. A communal garden is defined as, “A garden where everyone works together and shares the harvest.” However, Elsa said that she would be open to talking with anyone who wanted to have their own space.
Recently Elsa had Mike Rebman, the Midvale High School Agriculture teacher, build a greenhouse near the garden. Elsa said that they are excited about the greenhouse and are already utilizing it. Midvale teacher Krista Bailey’s high school class currently has plants growing in the greenhouse. The students began by planting a variety of vegetable and flower seeds in egg cartons, in their classroom. Once the plants had outgrown their egg cartons, they were then transplanted into 4-inch containers and are now being nurtured in the greenhouse. Once all danger of frost has passed, these plants will be transplanted into the community garden.
In addition to the greenhouse, there is a cute little garden shed near the garden. An art class is designing a mural and will soon be painting it on the side of the shed. Near the garden shed there are several garden boxes for raised bed gardening. The community garden has a variety of perennial plants, including rhubarb, strawberries, and many flowers.
Since starting the community garden, produce has been shared with the community and travelers headed through on the 95. The produce sharing starts later in the summer when the garden is in full swing. Once the produce is harvested, it is set out near the highway for veggie lovers to enjoy. Instead of selling the produce a donation receptacle is available, where people can drop-in their donation. Elsa said that this has been a good way to share the produce.
Another fun thing that the community garden does is host an annual seed and plant exchange. Bring your indoor and outdoor plants and extra seeds to share with others, while finding something new for your own garden. Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. and join other gardeners for this annual event at the community garden. The access to the garden is on River Street, just south of the Midvale Fire Station.
Dedicated gardeners will tell you there is nothing like the feeling of getting their hands in the dirt and working in their garden to make them happy. Elsa and Deb are looking for volunteers to help for a couple of hours on Fridays. To learn more about this opportunity and other ways to get involved in the community garden, please contact Elsa Freeman by texting her at (208) 473-6292, or emailing her at Freemanelsa6292@gmail.com.
