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- calendar_today October 20, 2026
Boise Urban Garden School Offers Hands-On Learning
As the gardening season winds down and cooler fall temperatures arrive, children at the Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS) are getting involved in the last harvests of the year. Located in Comba Park in West Boise, BUGS is dedicated to providing children with direct experience in organic gardening and culinary education.
Young Gardeners Learn and Harvest
A group of elementary-aged students recently participated in the hands-on experience of pulling carrots from the ground. As they learned about gardening, plants, and fresh vegetables, excitement was high. "That was a carrot frenzy what you just saw," said Pohley Richey, Program Coordinator for BUGS. She described the unique joy children experience tasting a fresh-picked carrot and then cooking with it just minutes later as “an incredible experience.”
Mission: Garden Education and Fresh Produce
BUGS operates a three-quarter-acre regenerative, organic garden where the primary mission is to engage kids in hands-on learning. “It’s getting kids identifying plants, getting familiar with the garden, seeing where their food is coming from, seeing how it’s grown,” Richey explained. This approach aims to connect children directly to the source of their food and foster an appreciation for organic gardening practices, fresh produce, and sustainable agriculture.
Culinary Camps and Collaborative Cooking
Neighborhood Reporter Brady Caskey joined one of the school’s culinary camps, observing kids as they tried new herbs, harvested produce, and collaborated in the kitchen. The recent harvest included not only carrots but also fresh zucchini, which the campers used to make chocolate chip zucchini muffins. These camps provide a unique setting for kids to learn about food preparation with ingredients they helped grow—combining garden harvest with hands on learning.
Year-Round Garden Activities
This year, the school has seen a robust harvest, with many summer crops already pulled from the soil. According to Richey, "We harvested a ton, literally of produce this year and so a lot of the warm crops. The Summer crops have been pulled out." Some vegetables are left to overwinter in the garden, allowing the team to access fresh food even during the colder months.
Community Involvement and Opportunities
Open to visitors, the Boise Urban Garden School invites those interested to learn more about garden education, regenerative gardening techniques, and their hands-on programs designed for local kids. The school continues to offer opportunities for youth to connect with nature, understand organic gardening, and enjoy fresh produce straight from the earth.
Source: kivitv.com.
