Submitted photo Planter gardens in Riverside Park, constructed and planted by Big Ideas Inc., offer a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables for people to enjoy.

NEW ULM – Riverside Park in Goosetown has a new attraction. In addition to the Riverside History & Nature Learning Center, its “pirate ship” playground and its Gertie the Goose statue, the park now has a Big Ideas carpentry project – planter gardens.

“We want to draw people to the park to enjoy this valuable resource and give them fresh herbs and veggies to enjoy,” Mary Ann Christensen, Director of Big Ideas said.

With lettuce, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs such as basil, dill, cilantro, and even sweet leaf stevia, these planters are abundant with plenty of fresh produce. “We encourage people to come and take what they need and at this time the gardens are overflowing,” she said.

The community garden planters are part of a bench structure to incorporate seating and tie in well with the natural beauty of the picnic grounds and the large goose statue on display.

“We are hoping to add another planter bench soon so that we can offer even more to the community next year,” Christensen said.

Big Ideas Inc. is a 501c3 organization with the mission to provide opportunities for students ages 13+ to discover, explore, and learn real-world trade skills. Partnering with professional tradespeople, industry shops, and community education systems, they provide the model and structure for courses that offer the practice of both the hands-on technical skills and the soft skills needed to succeed in a trade.