Little Bear Patch Garden is outside the campus of the Kalmiopsis Elementary School in Brookings Oregon. It was established possibly in 2005 or 2006. In May 2017 Brookings became recognized as the first Monarch City USA in the state of Oregon. Kalmiopsis Elementary was named a Monarch School in 2018. The garden is primarily planted with plants that attract pollinators but also some vegetables for the kids. At this time members of Curry County Master Gardeners™ with additional volunteers from other local organizations organize and run garden classes for participating teachers and their students.
Within the elementary school are beds that were planted with bulbs in past years. In 2023 additional bulbs were planted, then in June of 2023 native plants were planted along with native flower seeds. They are able to survive the summer without being watered.
Beds on Kalmiopsis Campus
The Bridge Garden, which bridges between Brookings Harbor High School and Azalea Middle School, has been used to grow food used by the district's kitchen. There is a greenhouse and new concrete block beds that were built in March 2023 with the help of Curry County Master Gardeners and others. At this time, 2025, there is no garden coordinator.
Assembling the cinder block beds, March 2023
Filling them with soil, March 2023
Master Gardener class & Lynette McPherson, February 2024