Spaulding Ranch Park Site

Spaulding Ranch was acquired by the City of Boise in early 2016 and is the first property of its kind in Boise Parks and Recreation’s inventory.

July 2020 Spaulding Ranch Update

Recently, the Parks and Recreation Department contracted with a local company to control weeds, rehabilitate soil health and provide seed plantings for future cover crops at Spaulding Ranch. One unique aspect of this contractor’s process to rehab the agricultural portions of the site include the temporary placement of goats to graze noxious and invasive weeds down to bare soil.

We had hoped to mail a postcard to every abutting property owner well in advance of the goat’s arrival. Unfortunately the contractors timeline for bringing the goats to the site came much sooner than we anticipated, so we are scrambling to spread the word to the neighborhood as quickly as possible.

The goats will arrive at the site early next week. Temporary fencing is used to contain the small herds so they can be moved to graze different areas. The goats will be constantly monitored by the contractor to ensure their safety and containment. These goats will only be on-site for a couple weeks and gone by August 10^th at the very latest.

Goats can be interesting to look at, but we want to remind the neighborhood that the Spaulding Ranch site is still considered undeveloped and is not accessible for public use. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Boise Parks and Recreation, or the City’s Urban Agricultural Specialist directly at (208) 376-3006 ext. 102.  

June 2020 Spaulding Ranch Update

It’s been a busy spring at Spaulding Ranch! Crews are currently wrapping up construction of a relocated irrigation lateral, pump system and pond. Next year, a park access road and associated parking is planned at the site that will run from North Glenwood Street to North Cole Road. In order to make the site accessible for future growers and urban agriculture partners, the irrigation system will also be constructed. Currently, the Boise Parks and Recreation project team is analyzing strategic methods for weed control and soil amendments to reduce the use of pesticides at the site.

This fall, Energize Our Neighborhoods is working with Parks and Recreation’s Community Forestry staff to coordinate a volunteer event to plant the first 100 trees at the Spaulding Ranch orchard. The planting will be funded through the Energize Our Neighborhoods program. We hope to have more information to share in the coming months!

Here is some additional background on the Spaulding Ranch project: The primary function of Spaulding Ranch will be agriculture; a true ‘farm to table’ experiential concept. Other amenities will include pollinator and demonstration gardens, natural walking pathways and play areas, outdoor classrooms, picnic shelters, restrooms and more. The restoration and conversion of the historic house, barn and outbuildings for public uses will be the final component of the Spaulding Ranch development. We anticipate these structures could potentially function as a community gathering space - much like the Boise Depot.