If you’ve always wanted to grow your own vegetables, but haven’t known where to start, or if you have tried planting a garden but not gotten the results you were hoping for, then the Sierra Gardens program is for you! Imagine picking ingredients for a fresh, healthy dinner from your own backyard – better for your body, and easier on your wallet. Plus, gardening is good for your soul…just ask Leo Chapman, who heads Sierra Harvest’s Sierra Gardens program. “It’s been great to see how successful people can be when we provide them with the infrastructure, the plants at the appropriate times and the mentor ship.”
Sierra Harvest’s Sierra Gardens program will help you get set up to grow fresh, seasonal vegetables at your home, business or organization. The program includes help installing or revamping an existing garden, starts and seeds, gardening and cooking classes, and ongoing mentoring. Now is the time to submit an application for a Spring garden, and join new gardeners like Celeste Vega and her daughter Triniti, who are eating healthier, saving money, and enjoying learning how to garden together. Celeste raves about the program: “It’s so great to be able to walk out back with my daughter and pick veggies for our meal. Most of the tomatoes never made it all the way to the house, my daughter Triniti eats them two at a time like apples.” Another Sierra Gardens recipient, Deb Rossovich, appreciates the increase in fresh vegetables that her garden has supplied to her family’s diet: “Before the garden, I was limited as to how much fresh vegetables I could budget for since I’ve taken a tremendous hit to my monthly income (Less hours and less pay). With the garden, my kids and I have been able to have fresh vegetables every day and a great variety. I’ve been able to put some up to use throughout the winter and I’m already planning for next year.”
Already have a garden? So did Susan Pellerin, but she was frustrated with the output until Farmer Leo and Sierra Harvest came to the rescue: “We tried for two years to grow something in the garden area that we had. NOTHING grew or would die soon after planting. We rarely ate fresh produce because of a limited income. Leo came over and helped us understand sustainability and composting and the need for healthy soil. We learned so much! This past summer we had an amazing amount of produce — zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce, kale and other squashes. My kids took part in the cooking classes and ATE fresh vegetables! They are not vegetable loving kids but they once they cooked their own and got to taste how good they could be, they were hooked!”
Scholarships are available – to apply for your very own Sierra Garden, visit the Sierra Gardens page on our website and download the application.