workshop details

Build a strong foundation

Are you a brand new gardener? New to the Missoula climate? Want to brush up on the basics of organic vegetable gardening? This workshop is a great place to start! Join us to learn the basics and start yourself off on the right foot as you begin your gardening adventure.

We’ll cover:

• Missoula’s growing season and frost dates

• The best crops for beginning gardeners

• Direct seeding versus transplanting

• Soil care

• Seasonal challenges

• Our recommendations for tools, weeds, and pests

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.

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 Winter Kissed Farm 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.