Demonstration Garden &
Children's Garden Programs
The demonstration garden at the Recreation Center was formed in 2017 with seven small plots that comprised the original MSTFP garden. Volunteers from the entire region including Pagosa Springs, Bayfield, Durango, Mancos, Cortez, and Farmington helped clear the garden of overgrowth and weeds, and gave us a strong, beautiful foundation from which to begin.
The garden is now a showcase for intensive gardening ideas, succession planting, companion planting, season extension, and experiments using organic fertilizer and amendments. All produce from these plots is donated to the food pantry.
In 2019, the demonstration garden was reduced to five plots to support the new Children's Garden Program. Thanks to smart planning, season extension and intensive gardening practices, we've been able to increase harvest totals from the years prior in a much smaller space.
The demonstration plots are also used throughout the season for workshops and demonstrations. We notice many folks sitting under the pergola for meetings, a break from work, and to enjoy their lunch.
Throughout the season, gardeners host seed swaps, seedling exchanges, workshops, garden tours and potlucks.
The Children's Garden program is an integral part of the Rec Center's Summer Playground Days Program. Children regularly come into the garden to care for their plot. They plant seeds, weed, and harvest. Taking a tour of the garden and checking out what everyone else is growing is always part of their time in the garden.
Volunteers help to inspire children through related activities.
If you are interested in volunteering to help with the program, click on the link below.
Learning
in the Garden
Scavenger hunt to familiarize children with the garden site.
Identifying pollinators on dill growing in one of the children's garden plots. We focused on ladybugs for a fun art activity then made yogurt dill dip with our harvest, using carrots and cucumbers from the plots to snack on.
The Dragon's Egg cucumbers we planted just were not growing! To help them along, the children summoned Pepitolina, the Cucumber Dragon. We danced, sang, chanted, laughed and paraded. By the end of our session that day, the vines had tiny cucumbers on them!
2025 Dates and Program Details
COMING SOON!
