COEUR d'ALENE - The Gathering Garden is extending its roots and potentially growing through the year.

A permanent 20-by-40-foot hoop house, or semi-circular greenhouse, was installed Friday in the Community Roots Gathering Garden located on the east side of Hubbard Street and College Drive along the education corridor. Kootenai Environmental Alliance executive director Adrienne Cronebaugh said the structure could add at least four months to the season.

"What this will do is extend the growing season so they can grow earlier and later into the season, because we have such a late start and early onset frost," she said. It could also allow growing to continue throughout the year once heating is established.

The Gathering Garden is a program of KEA that is run by volunteers and supported by area businesses.

"It's really a great community effort for sustainability," Cronebaugh said. "It's great to see so many people come together and supporting local food efforts."

Produce from the garden goes to area food assistance programs and the culinary school at NIC. The greenhouse will help provide even more food for these programs.

A goal of the garden is to reconnect people with the land that feeds them. Cronebaugh said it serves as a place to teach people about urban farming, composting, water and irrigation systems and the whole organic gardening experience. During the summer, volunteers and Work Ready interns created the garden out of an abandoned slash pile.

"I'm just really proud of this community and how they came together," Cronebaugh said.

Info: www.kealliance.org/community-roots