Urban Gardens to Open at Old MacDonald's Farm

The Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly finished urban garden project at Old MacDonald’s Farm in Bever Park. The ceremony will be held on Friday, May 17 at 7:00 p.m., prior to Movie Night at the Farm at 8:00 p.m. Children may plant a seed to take home beginning at 6:30 p.m. near the gardens. The gardens were built to provide educational programs about the importance of agriculture and give children the hands on experience of growing their own food.

The gardens were made possible through a partnership between the Kiwanis of Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Parks Foundation, Wellmark Foundation, City of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College and Linn County Master Gardeners. In addition to raised garden beds and ground beds, the project included a retaining wall and ADA accessibility to the area.

Participants of programs offered at Old MacDonald’s Farm will grow vegetables during a ten-week growing season that will be donated to HACAP for families in need. Programs will also focus on growing produce in small spaces, eating healthy, nature and ecology.

A Learn, Grow, Eat and Go! program is currently open to children in grades 2-5 at no charge to participants, this summer. The program will be held on Mondays, June 10 through August 12, from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Enrollment is accepted through the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department by calling 319-286-5566 or going to crrec.org.