workshop details

Join us to learn the basics and start yourself off on the right foot as you begin your gardening adventure.

Are you a brand new gardener? New to the Missoula climate? Or are you feeling a lack of confidence as the growing season approaches? This workshop is a great place to start!

In it, we will cover:

• Missoula’s climate and growing season

• The best crops for beginning gardeners

• Fundamental gardening techniques and strategies

Emily Kern Swaffar, Community Gardens Director, and Tara Santi, Community Gardens Coordinator, will lead this lecture-style workshop, allowing ample time to address individual questions and concerns.

NOTE: This workshop will also be held in early May.

Explore the rest of our garden workshop series to take a deeper dive into particular gardening topics.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS

Emily Kern Swaffar is our Community Gardens Director and provides tremendous insight as an instructor for our garden workshops. With a degree in Landscape Architecture, her Permaculture Design Certificate, and a business focused on edible and native landscaping, her roots run deep in the world of growing your own food.  

Tara Santi fell in love with growing food while working at the educational garden at Middlebury College, where she earned a degree in Environmental Studies and Sociology and Anthropology. She moved to Missoula to work at Missoula Grain & Vegetable Co. and learn the ins and outs of vegetable farming year-round in Montana. She believes that accessible local food, sustainable growing practices, and strong communities of care are foundational in our efforts to address climate change.

SLIDING SCALE

Accessibility is central to the mission of Garden City Harvest. For this reason, our workshops are available on a sliding scale. Additionally, a limited number of scholarships may be available for each workshop. If interested, please email alex@gardencityharvest.org.