The Columbia Falls Community Garden is a welcoming space where community members can learn, grow, and enjoy the benefits of homegrown, organic produce. Our mission is to provide an educational and inclusive environment that promotes healthy lifestyles, sustainability, and a strong sense of community.  

At the Garden, people of all experience levels can come together to cultivate their own food while learning valuable gardening skills. We encourage experienced gardeners to share their knowledge with newcomers, helping everyone have a successful and rewarding growing season.  

About the Garden  

Established in 2010, the Garden started as a free, plot-based community space with 30 plots, each measuring 12 feet by 12 feet. Today, we have expanded to 34 plots serving 32 families. Returning gardeners can keep their plots as long as they follow the Garden Agreement, and anyone in the community is welcome to apply for an available space.  

To help maintain the Garden, we ask for a $30 annual plot fee to cover water costs, along with a one-time $20 cleaning deposit to ensure plots are properly maintained. We are proud to support low-income families and dedicate one plot specifically to growing fresh food for the Columbia Falls Food Bank. Additionally, any extra produce from gardeners is either donated to the food bank or placed in a community basket outside the Garden, where city park visitors can take fresh food for free.  

Over the years, our food bank plot has provided hundreds of pounds of fresh produce to those in need, and we continue to look for ways to expand our educational programs to benefit the community.  

Our Partnership with the City  

Since 2009, the Garden has partnered with the City of Columbia Falls to maintain and beautify the acre of land it occupies. As part of this agreement, gardeners help care for ornamental flower beds, mow the grass, maintain a compost pile, and provide updates to the City Council about any changes to the Garden’s layout or programs. The City also generously allows us to use half of a large shed already on the property.  The Garden achieved non-profit status in 2014.

A Community-Driven Effort  

All events, programs, and food donations are free and open to the public. As a non-profit organization, the Garden hosts periodic fundraisers to help cover maintenance, water costs, and other expenses, ensuring that participation remains affordable for all.  

Our operations are guided by a volunteer board of directors, who oversee fundraising, budgeting, and Garden policies to ensure the space remains a valuable resource for years to come. 

The current board members are:  

• Jenny Lovering, President & Garden Manager  

• Erin Quintia, Vice President  

• Piers Forbes, Treasurer  

• Jessie Kane, Secretary  

We invite you to stop by to see what’s growing! 

Updated March 10, 2025