The Sierra Gardens program works with families and organizations to build backyard gardens, providing classes, mentoring, and supplies for two years to establish successful home-based gardens. We have built out two gardens so far: one for an individual residence in Alta Sierra, and one for the Friendship Club, a local community organization that is designed to engage, educate and empower at-risk girls.
This program is available to anyone in the community who has the space for a garden, but the trend so far has been heavily female. The Friendship Club garden will help the girls learn the important life skill of gardening, along with personal responsibility and the value of hard work. And the Alta Sierra garden will benefit a grandmother, her daughter, and three granddaughters, all of who participated in building out their garden. This season, these girls will learn how to grow, harvest, and prepare kale, chard, broccoli, cilantro, carrots, beets, and green onions. The first class for Sierra Gardens participants (an introduction to gardening and spring planting) also happened this week.
We have eight more gardens pending, and are still accepting applications. Payment plans and partial or full scholarships are available. More information and applications are available on the Sierra Gardens program page.