5B Resilience Gardens

Facilitated by Local Food Alliance, 5B Resilience Gardens is a community-wide collaboration involving Wood River Seed Library, University of Idaho Extension & 4-H, Sawtooth Botanical Garden, Wood River Community YMCA, Wood River Land Trust, Upper Big Wood River Grange, and various community members.

Across the globe, interest in backyard food production is soaring. Google searches for “growing vegetables” are higher than ever before, seed companies are selling out, and consumers are concerned with empty supermarket shelves. As we work to enhance our local food security, gardening plays a key role in personal and community resilience. While existing efforts to promote gardening exist within our community, there isn’t a collaborative effort among organizations or entities working in this space, nor a community-wide campaign to increase gardening activities for personal and community resilience.

Objectives:

• Broaden community access to local gardening resources
• Enhance visibility of existing and new gardens throughout the community
• Cultivate a vibrant gardening community through resource sharing, collaborative events, and education opportunities
• Boost individual organizational impact through collaborative partnerships

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Guiding Principles:

FOOD PRODUCTION

Food production for self and family (including veggies, fruits, berries, herbs, grains, seeds & nuts)

Food harvest shared with neighbors and community

Seed saving and sharing, starting seedlings from seeds, propagating perennials

Chickens and egg production

Bees for honey

POLLINATORS

Plants to feed pollinators and birds

Plants to feed predators of garden pests

Plant diversity - flowers and trees, including native plants, various sizes and colors of flowers, from early spring to late fall

Zero insecticide or pesticide (Ecological Pest Management (EPM) strategies)

“Messy” late fall and early spring yards, providing habitat materials for birds & insects & their eggs

SOIL CARE

Wise use of water (drip, minimum but sufficient, sunken water delivery, timed with weather and heat of day)

Organic fertilizing methods (No synthetic fertilizers), including manure, compost, Hugelkultur, blood meal, etc.

Composting of all kitchen, yard and garden waste

Environmentally friendly & regenerative soil cultivation practices, including permaculture, no or low till gardening, forking

Soil protection with mulch to maintain the microbiome & fertility, and reduce evapotranspiration

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