Mountain Academy Teton Valley Campus students sport a Slow Food in the Tetons hat at the school’s farm and garden program.
A new space to gather, grow, and connect is taking root on Jackson Hole’s West Bank.
Teton Science Schools (TSS), in partnership with Slow Food in the Tetons, is proud to announce the development of a new community garden at its Wilson Campus, affectionately known as “Mad Dog”, located at 2150 Moose Wilson Road.
For many in Jackson and Wilson, the name “Mad Dog” carries history. Once the site of the Mad Dog Ranch, the property was purchased by Teton Science Schools in 2001 and has since evolved into a hub for learning and connection. The nickname has endured, a quiet nod to its past as it continues to grow into its future.
Growing More Than Food
This new garden expands access to growing space on the West Bank while creating opportunities for hands-on, place-based learning. Rooted in Teton Science Schools’ mission to connect people, place, and nature through education, the garden is designed as more than a place to plant vegetables, it’s a place to build relationships.
With the soil, with food, and with one another.
“This is more than a garden,” said Wayne Turner, Executive Director of Teton Science Schools. “It is a space where people can reconnect with their place, with their food, and with each other.”
A Garden in the Making
Construction is already underway. A perimeter fence was completed in fall 2025, and installation of garden plots, irrigation systems, and a shared garden shed is scheduled for spring 2026.
Once complete, the garden will feature 46 individual 5’ x 10’ plots as part of Slow Food in the Tetons’ Community Garden Program. For West Bank residents, this space offers something long-awaited: the chance to grow food closer to home.
Expanding a Thriving Community Program
The Mad Dog Community Garden builds on the longstanding success of the Jackson Hole Community Garden Program, led by Slow Food in the Tetons. The program currently supports more than 175 gardening households and provides hundreds of local youth with hands-on experience in gardening, local food systems, and place-based education each year.
With the addition of the Mad Dog site, the program will expand capacity by approximately 30 families and residents, a 19% increase from 2025. This growth will serve both Teton Science Schools employees and Slow Food’s long waitlist of families eager to get their hands in the dirt.
It’s a meaningful step toward increasing access to local food and deepening community connections across the valley.
A Partnership Rooted in Shared Values
Teton Science Schools is especially excited to partner with Slow Food in the Tetons in bringing this project to life. Their leadership has helped shape a community garden program grounded in the values of good, clean, and fair food for all, values that align deeply with TSS’s educational mission.
Together, this partnership is cultivating more than garden beds. It’s cultivating a stronger, more connected community.
Learn More
Interested in getting involved or reserving a plot?
Visit: https://tetonslowfood.org/community-garden/
This project was made possible through grant funding in partnership with Teton Conservation District, which supported building the community garden and ensured best practices were implemented throughout the process.