Join Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture and Heart of Missouri United Way for “Drop-in Senior Garden Shifts.” Attendees will receive a tour of Columbia’s Agriculture Park and gain hands-on native landscaping experience with CCUA’s staff! No sign-up required!

Seniors only please. Meet at the red chicken coop in front of CCUA’s Maintenance Barn.

Questions? Email Volunteer@ColumbiaUrbanAg.org

Interested in gardening, but have a busy schedule? Join CCUA for Drop-in Garden Time at Columbia’s Agriculture Park (1769 W Ash St) every Tuesday in the Demo Garden! Our staff hosts flexible drop-in gardening that requires no sign-up or commitment so you can drop by when it fits your schedule! Stay for the whole time or 10 minutes. Get hands-on garden experience and all your garden questions answered. We hope to see you there!

Join us for a meaningful Memorial Day celebration as we come together to honor and remember our fallen veterans.

Event Highlights:

• Veteran Dedication Ceremony – A moment to honor those we’ve lost. We will hold a brief ceremony to pay honor to fallen brothers and sisters from 12:00pm-12:30pm.

• Community Resource Booths – Connecting veterans with local support. Local Veteran Service Organizations and representatives will be available.

• BBQ & Cooking Experience – Fire up the grill and cook together!

• Yard Games & Good Company – A day of connection and camaraderie.

• Farm Fresh Produce Giveaway – Take home a taste of the season!

•  Art Therapy Activities – Creative expression for mental health for both adults and kids.

Join CCUA for a natural garden pest management workshop!

Join CCUA staff for a lecture on natural garden pest management. Discover nature’s solutions to managing pests in your garden! Protect your food from becoming an insect’s meal without harming the environment or your family.

Part of the Dig Into Learning Garden Workshop series. Please register here!

Join Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture and Heart of Missouri United Way for “Drop-in Senior Garden Shifts.” Attendees will receive a tour of Columbia’s Agriculture Park and gain hands-on native landscaping experience with CCUA’s staff! No sign-up required!

Seniors only please. Meet at the red chicken coop in front of CCUA’s Maintenance Barn.

Questions? Email Volunteer@ColumbiaUrbanAg.org

"Egg-spert Insights" is an informational series that will cover a range of informational sessions on chickens. This series is thanks to a partnership between CCUA and Lincoln University's Dr. Fisher!

Session 6 of our “Egg-spert Insights” series with Dr. Tatijana Fisher will cover “Grading & Candling Eggs.” Learn about factors that determine egg quality, and master the art of grading and candling eggs to ensure top quality for your customers. We’ll teach you the methods for identifying freshness, quality, and any potential issues before selling or using your eggs.

Join us at CCUA’s Schoolhouse located at 1769 W Ash St for an informational session on this topic! This is a FREE series but seating is limited so please RSVP here! You are encouraged to attend one or all informational sessions in the series.

Are you interested in beekeeping, but don’t know where to start? Join CCUA for “Buzz Talks!” led by local beekeeper and long-time CCUA volunteer, Jim Thaxter. Buzz Talks is a once a month Bee Club that will meet for an hour long workshop spring through fall. Space is limited, so make sure to sign-up here and save your spot!

Our May meeting will cover Meet the Bees: Hive Structure, Sting Safety, and First Aid. This session will take place at CCUA’s Veterans Urban Farm, located at 1207 Smith St.

Join us with NRCS Soil Health Specialist, Lucas Brass, for an interactive workshop on how different growing practices, including cover crops and reducing soil disturbance, can improve soil health in the farm and garden. Lucas will visually demonstrate, through the use of a rainfall simulator, slake test, and infiltration test, the impact of different management strategies in reducing soil erosion and compaction, and in improving water infiltration and holding capacity.

Are you interested in raising your own fish? Did you know you can raise fish for eating in small ponds not designed with aquaculture (fish farming) in mind? Join Lincoln University's Aquaculture State Specialist Dr. James E. Wetzel, Ph. D. for a discussion on the different approaches to raising fish and small pond management from feeding, to water quality, to harvesting!

This event is free and open to the community, but please RSVP here!

Lincoln University is an equal-opportunity employer and provider.

CCUA will be giving out free tomato plants in patio-friendly 5-gallon buckets ready to grow on your patio or yard! Join us at the Food Bank Market located at, 705 Business Loop 70 W, to get yours! It's first come, first serve, with a limit of one per household. We hope to see you there!

CCUA will be giving out free tomato plants in patio-friendly 5-gallon buckets ready to grow on your patio or yard! Join us during our “Farm-acy Market” at Truman VA Hospital on the 1st Floor Parking garage. It's first come, first serve, with a limit of one per household. You must be a veteran or spouse to pick it up.

Did you know the City of Columbia hosts FREE composting workshops? Register here!

Learn the why, what and how of home composting. Attend a free workshop and start diverting kitchen scraps and yard waste while producing a nutrient rich soil amendment. Composting can greatly reduce a household's waste and is a fun and rewarding step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. 

If you wish to schedule a workshop specific to a group of eight or more, please email jody.cook@como.gov

Join us on the second Saturday of every month during Columbia Farmers Market at 10:00am for a walking tour of CCUA’s Food Forest! Filled with edible fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and native Missouri flowers, our staff will guide you so you can taste, smell, touch, and learn to identify what’s growing!

Learn how to foodscape your own backyard or garden space. Tours will cover a broad range of topics such as: 

- How to plan out & design your space 
- Where to source native trees & plants
- Irrigation management
- Holistic management of pests & disease
- When to harvest
- How to cook & prepare what you grow or any other questions you may have!

Additionally, each tour will highlight a different "featured plant" in our forest that you can specifically learn more about! May’s Tour will highlight “Nanking Cherry and Wine Cap Mushrooms"

Tours are free and open to the community, but please RSVP here!

We get it, life’s busy! If you can’t commit to a weekly scheduled volunteer shift join us on the second Saturday of every month at Kilgore’s Community Garden (700 N Providence Rd). Kilgore’s is CCUA’s third garden location with a simple mission: make healthy, happy fruit and veggie lovers out of the preschoolers at Nora Stewart Early Learning Center. This special garden is a longstanding partnership with Kilgore’s Pharmacy, an idea sparked after a Kilgore’s pharmacist filled a prescription for a young child’s cholesterol medication. Fresh produce from this garden is donated weekly throughout the season where it’s used to make meals for the children at Nora Stewart. This is a flexible garden opportunity that requires no commitment. Just show up when you can! Hope to see you there!

Did you know the City of Columbia hosts FREE composting workshops? Register here!

Learn the why, what and how of home composting. Attend a free workshop and start diverting kitchen scraps and yard waste while producing a nutrient rich soil amendment. Composting can greatly reduce a household's waste and is a fun and rewarding step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. 

If you wish to schedule a workshop specific to a group of eight or more, please email jody.cook@como.gov

Did you know the City of Columbia hosts FREE composting workshops? Register here!

Learn the why, what and how of home composting. Attend a free workshop and start diverting kitchen scraps and yard waste while producing a nutrient rich soil amendment. Composting can greatly reduce a household's waste and is a fun and rewarding step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. This workshop will discuss the Bokashi Composting Method

If you wish to schedule a workshop specific to a group of eight or more, please email jody.cook@como.gov

"Egg-spert Insights" is an informational series that will cover a range of informational sessions on chickens. This series is thanks to a partnership between CCUA and Lincoln University's Dr. Fisher!

Session 5 of our “Egg-spert Insights” series with Dr. Tatijana Fisher will cover “Determining Flock Productivity.” In this session, we’ll dive into key flock and individual measurements to assess productivity. Learn how to track flock-level measurements like hen-day egg production and evaluate individual measurements like abdominal capacity and intensity of lay.

Join us at CCUA’s Schoolhouse located at 1769 W Ash St for an informational session on this topic! This is a FREE series but seating is limited so please RSVP here! You are encouraged to attend one or all informational sessions in the series.

Interested in gardening, but have a busy schedule? Join CCUA for Drop-in Garden Time at Columbia’s Agriculture Park (1769 W Ash St) every Tuesday in the Demo Garden! Our staff hosts flexible drop-in gardening that requires no sign-up or commitment so you can drop by when it fits your schedule! Stay for the whole time or 10 minutes. Get hands-on garden experience and all your garden questions answered. We hope to see you there!

Haven't been able to make it to our workshops at Columbia Public Library? Join CCUA for a natural garden pest management workshop at our Schoolhouse located at 1769 W Ash Street with CCUA’s Veterans Urban Farm Manager Joe Walls!

Got bugs that bug you? Come learn how to sustainably manage your garden pests with Farmer Joe! This workshop will discuss integrated pest management, a philosophy that utilizes knowledge of pest life cycles and biology to reduce or eliminate pesticide usage. In this workshop you will learn: common garden pests in mid-Missouri and preventative and remedial techniques to reduce damage to your plants!

Join us in CCCUA's Schoolhouse at Columbia's Agriculture Park! Event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP here!

Last year our staff, with help from neighbors at the Food Bank Market, built a crate garden providing vegetables, herbs and flowers to help boost the spring and summertime groceries of our neighbors.

Join us this Saturday as we plant this year's produce! Help out planting, grab some seeds for your own personal garden or just join in on the fun!

Join CCUA for a home irrigation workshop!

Grow beyond hand-watering your garden! Join Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture staff for a discussion about irrigation methods and a demonstration on putting together different systems. Weigh the pros and cons of different techniques and discover the one that’s right for you!

Part of the Dig Into Learning Garden Workshop series. Please register here!

Interested in gardening, but have a busy schedule? Join CCUA for Drop-in Garden Time at Columbia’s Agriculture Park (1769 W Ash St) every Tuesday in the Demo Garden! Our staff hosts flexible drop-in gardening that requires no sign-up or commitment so you can drop by when it fits your schedule! Stay for the whole time or 10 minutes. Get hands-on garden experience and all your garden questions answered. We hope to see you there!

Join CCUA for a home irrigation workshop!

Grow beyond hand-watering your garden! Join Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture staff for a discussion about irrigation methods and a demonstration on putting together different systems. Weigh the pros and cons of different techniques and discover the one that’s right for you!

Part of the Dig Into Learning Garden Workshop series. Please register here!

"Egg-spert Insights" is an informational series that will cover a range of informational sessions on chickens. This series is thanks to a partnership between CCUA and Lincoln University's Dr. Fisher!

Session 4 of our “Egg-spert Insights” series with Dr. Tatijana Fisher will cover “Chicken Nutrition & Digestive System.” Explore how chicken nutrition impacts egg and meat production. We’ll dive into the digestive system and how to provide a balanced diet to keep your flock at peak health and productivity.

Join us at CCUA’s Schoolhouse located at 1769 W Ash St for an informational session on this topic! This is a FREE series but seating is limited so please RSVP here! You are encouraged to attend one or all informational sessions in the series.

Join us for a Spring Kickoff at our Veterans Urban Farm as we celebrate five years of growing, learning, and building community at the Veterans Urban Farm! Whether you’re a seasoned grower or just getting started, there’s something for everyone!

Event Highlights:

• Seeding Workshop – Learn how to start your own garden from scratch!

• Seed & Start Giveaway – Take home free seeds and leftover plant starts!

• Yard Games & Refreshments – Enjoy a laid-back evening with farm-friendly fun.

• Farm Tours – Get a behind-the-scenes look at what makes VUF special.

•  Art Therapy Activities – Creative expression for mental health (for adults and kids).

Did you know the City of Columbia hosts FREE composting workshops? Register here!

Learn the why, what and how of home composting. Attend a free workshop and start diverting kitchen scraps and yard waste while producing a nutrient rich soil amendment. Composting can greatly reduce a household's waste and is a fun and rewarding step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. 

If you wish to schedule a workshop specific to a group of eight or more, please email jody.cook@como.gov

Interested in gardening, but have a busy schedule? Join CCUA for Drop-in Garden Time at Columbia’s Agriculture Park (1769 W Ash St) every Tuesday in the Demo Garden! Our staff hosts flexible drop-in gardening that requires no sign-up or commitment so you can drop by when it fits your schedule! Stay for the whole time or 10 minutes. Get hands-on garden experience and all your garden questions answered. We hope to see you there!

!! ATTENTION !!

Today's "Drop-in Garden Time" 4/15 is CANCELED!

We apologize for the inconvenience, but hope to see you next week!

Interested in gardening, but have a busy schedule? Join CCUA for Drop-in Garden Time at Columbia’s Agriculture Park (1769 W Ash St) every Tuesday in the Demo Garden! Our staff hosts flexible drop-in gardening that requires no sign-up or commitment so you can drop by when it fits your schedule! Stay for the whole time or 10 minutes. Get hands-on garden experience and all your garden questions answered. We hope to see you there!

Are you interested in beekeeping, but don’t know where to start? Join CCUA for “Buzz Talks!” led by local beekeeper and long-time CCUA volunteer, Jim Thaxter. Buzz Talks is a once a month Bee Club that will meet for an hour long workshop spring through fall. Space is limited, so make sure to sign-up here and save your spot!

Our April meeting will cover The Beekeeper’s Toolbox: Equipment, Hive Construction, and Bee Behavior. This session will take place in CCUA’s Schoolhouse at Columbia’s Agriculture Park, located at 1769 W Ash St.

Join us on the second Saturday of every month during Columbia Farmers Market at 10:00am for a walking tour of CCUA’s Food Forest! Filled with edible fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and native Missouri flowers, our staff will guide you so you can taste, smell, touch, and learn to identify what’s growing!

Learn how to foodscape your own backyard or garden space. Tours will cover a broad range of topics such as: 

- How to plan out & design your space 
- Where to source native trees & plants
- Irrigation management
- Holistic management of pests & disease
- When to harvest
- How to cook & prepare what you grow or any other questions you may have!

Additionally, each tour will highlight a different "featured plant" in our forest that you can specifically learn more about! April’s Tour will highlight “Perennial Vegetables: Sorrels, chives, and asparagus"

Tours are free and open to the community, but please RSVP here!