COEUR d'ALENE - Students on Monday from Kootenai Technical Education Campus were building a farm stand and tool shed for a now-forming Community Roots garden on the North Idaho College campus.

Community Roots, a program of Kootenai Environmental Alliance, is partnering with NIC to build the garden on a neglected vacant lot on the school's property.

What's considered a "brown field" now is being transformed into what will be called the "Gathering Garden."

The garden site is on the east side of Hubbard Street, near the roundabout at College Drive.

"This is the old mill site, and it was also traditionally the gathering spot for the indigenous people," said Janet Torline, of KEA, as she took a break from her work at the site on Monday. "Tribes met here and the salmon were in the river - everything was teeming with life and vitality."

Then it became the mill site.

"This was actually where they watered the logs and it also served as the overflow for drainage," Torline said. "There are no contaminants on the field, but you can see it's been neglected. It's a mess, so we're going to transform it into a garden."

Much of the garden should be planted this spring, Torline said.

Along with the farm stand KTEC students were working on Monday and the gardens, plans also call for a large hoop house, raised garden beds, compost bins, berry pushes, fruit trees, a pumpkin patch, and a pond to teach water ecology.

The Gathering Garden will be a hands-on classroom for a number of interns participating in the Work Ready Program, a five-step employment readiness training program for at-risk youth administered by Crosswalk North Idaho.

A variety of NIC students - such as those in a culinary arts program or in a geology class - will receive hands-on learning in the garden.

"The intention is that it's a learning garden, for urban farming and organic-gardening practices," Torline said. "And part of our goal is to connect people with the land that feeds them."

From the garden students will gain experience in various organic growing practices, water conservation, tool safety, soil remediation, seed selection and planting, as well as marketing strategies, customer service, and money handling through the food they will be growing and selling.

Ken Howard, chair of NIC's board of trustees, said the board came up with the idea of having a community garden on the unused lot about two years ago.

"It has just evolved into something really special," Howard said.

He said Community Roots has come up with a lot of innovative ideas to involve students.

"It is a great interactive project," Howard said. "It shows a lot of promise."

The Gathering Garden is an all-volunteer effort. Those who want to contribute time, materials, know-how or money can call (208) 667-9093.

KEA is scheduled to make a presentation about the garden at noon on Thursday at the Iron Horse Bar and Grill at 407 Sherman Ave.