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TableofContents Spring2015
LetterfromtheEditor:OriginStories by Kayla Kennett 3
Feature:WorkingTogetherisWorkingBetter by Leah Madison 4
NativePlantID:Pretty,PowerfulPollinators by Shannon Lencioni 5
VolunteerSpotlight:DynamicDuoKeepsComingBack by Andrew Cervantes 6
SkillShare:HerbalMedicinalBalms&Salves by MJ Pickett 8
Feature:WhereintheWorldisFarmCorps? by Sarah Burton 9
FarmtoFork:Steam-PoachedEgginSpinach“Nest”by Dan Alvey 11
NonprofitSpotlight:R.I.S.E. by Kelsey Hoffman 12
Kids’Page by Kayla Kennett 14
SchoolSpotlight:LemelsonStem by Andrew Cervantes 16
NiceThingsPeopleSay Spring2015
Thanks for the wonderful workshop “Healthy Eating on a Budget."
CooperandLillylovedexploringtheCoop,learningaboutlocalfood!
Hunter had a wonderful time.
Helovedthepigs,wormsandchickens,andWantstocomenexttime!
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OriginStories LetterfromtheEditor
byKaylaKennett
One of my favorite tales of pilgrimage is how Kayla went to Reno. Kayla went to Reno – not to get hitched, or join
the cabaret, or bet it all to lose; not to find herself in the Wild West, or fulfill a destiny Manifest – for summer camp.
In her 21 years, she'd never had the financial or literal freedom to sleep away for three months, but neither did the
majority of neighborhood kids she grew up with. Among the families of Charlestown, New Hampshire, there are a
few who splurge on a week or two of camp, so that their children can play soccer or basketball out-of-state. Others
spend the spring fundraising for their church assembly to attend a retreat, and sometimes someone's mother will
win a sweepstakes, and "Did you hear that the Joneses are going to Hawaii?" will be the talk of the town long after
they return. If you come from a middle class family, you'll most likely spend your summer loitering at the House of
Pizza with pals; a lower class family, at home with siblings. Kayla, being a single child, without disposable income for
soft serve or road trips, yes road trips, to the mall, was destined to summers of solitude. That is, until she reached
the legal working age, when the privilege of being paid to receive social stimulation, i.e. working at Jiffy Mart, would
be added to her knapsack. Those were the happy golden years. Not to say that there's no value in spending school
breaks in the woods, alone but for Laura and her Little House friends. I knew, even then, that my "romantic"
childhood was the envy of suburban and urban youth, who had just a patch of grass to play in, but I would have bet
that it was greener.
This time last year, I was packing my life into two suitcases, and heading off to summer camp for the first time, with
the expectation of making lasting friendships and long-lasting friendship bracelets, of not wanting to go home at
summer's end. I arrived in Reno a week before summer member orientation, which gave me plenty of padded time
to adjust and explore, but I spent nearly all of it indoors, feeling just as sorry for myself as I was proud. Moving to a
place where I had no connections, and "making it," in the not starving, not houseless sense, should have been
climactic, and it was, until I realized that what made such a bold move possible was my inability to feel connected to
any place. There was no "home" waiting for me. The nomadic lifestyle that characterizes the millennial generation
supposedly signifies improved quality of life. I coordinated a move to Nevada from my dorm room in Massachusetts,
and that is amazing, and something I will not soon take for granted. That being said, I think it is okay to admit that
despite the privilege of having a roof over my head, I am not wholly satisfied. Four walls do not make a home. It took
me a while to articulate this thought further, and when I did, it came out like this:
What is home/if not /the shadow/of a round rock/in
the desert /where lizards/wade in/mottled shade/as
secure in/tribulations/as one fleeing/some
storm/imagined/out of the dust/who finds herself/
a safe place/to hide/and calls it "home."
I wrote this poem shortly after accepting a yearlong
VISTA position at Urban Roots. At the time, I didn't
feel at home in Reno yet, but my fellow VISTAs had
become my "home people," my chosen family. I had
just uncovered a radical truth. You can pick your
friends, and you can pick your family. You can leave
New England, build a house in the desert, and call it
home. And so I did. Our cohort of summer members
arrived last week, and I want them to know that just
because this is a temporary position does not mean that Reno has to be a temporary home, does not mean that the
relationships they build here are destined to be "missed connections." Get comfortable. Get your feet wet in the
Truckee, while you can. This is a safe place to try new things, to make mistakes, and put down [Urban] Roots.
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WorkingTogetherisWorkingBetter FeatureStory
byLeahMadison
Reno is a unique town with a considerable concentration of non-profits. It’s a wonderful sight to see when these
non-profits join powers to create what I like to call “ultra-501k-tron.” One such partnership that Urban Roots has is
with GreenPower, the education program at the Desert Research Institute (DRI). Not many people are aware that
DRI is non-profit, or that it also has a local education program.
Both UR and GreenPower have similar goals to extend educational programs to students and schools that are under
served. In order to capitalize on the opportunity to work together to reach more people in the community, UR has
placed myself, an AmeriCorps volunteer, at DRI. My role
is to develop the capacity of the GreenPower program
and also act as a liaison between the two organizations
to find ways to better work together. So I am doing my
duty, and taking this opportunity to suggest this amazing
local resource. I have seen teachers go out on a limb to
expose their students to a subject they find imperative. I
have seen students exposed to the idea of “scientist”
and then the sudden connection they make that “this is
something I can do.” I have seen the potential this
program has, to reach a part of the population that
otherwise would never have these opportunities. I want
other people to see what I have seen. The GreenPower
program has filled an over-looked gap in the education
system, by providing essential resources to educators
who are working in sub-standard situations, trying to
teach to a student population that is often neglected.
The GreenPower program is multifaceted. It hosts
teacher training workshops to provide tools and
resources to help educators bring science-based, green
concepts and practices to any classroom. It also connects
classrooms with scientists from DRI, and gives
presentations at local events. The heart of the program,
however, is to create cute little things, called “Green
Boxes,” that are pre-packaged, reusable lessons available
to prek-12 educators throughout the state of NV. They
include all necessary materials and curriculum to teach a
lesson in alignment with Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics standards (STEM). And, they are 100%
free. The program has only been in circulation for a little under 2 years, but there are already 50 boxes available with
26 different subjects. Subjects range from local focus like Waste Warriors and Desert Discovery, to advanced
scientific subjects like Thermal Systems and Properties of Water. They have been designed by professionals and local
teachers, for teachers. UR has collaborated with DRI to create a box for Soil Science, Artful Architecture, Wild
Weather and Hydroponics box.
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GreenPower is exponentially increasing available boxes and subjects, working to expand the program to more rural
areas of NV, and working with scientists at DRI to present their research to the public. The program has a lot of
expansion happening, and needs all of the support it can get to continue to ride the huge wave it is creating. There
are more teachers signed up for the program, than there are boxes available. The excitement behind this program
is palpable.
More information about “Green Boxes” can be found at DRI.org/greenpower. If you’re interested in volunteering to
help this program grow, please contact Leah Madison, at leah@urgc.org or 775-315-7958.
Pretty,PowerfulPollinators NativePlantI.D.
byShannonLencioni
With spring around the corner, it’s time to start preparing our gardens and planning for the growing season.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and squashes are on top of many annual vegetable lists, but it’s also important to remember
what they need to produce fruit, pollinators! If you have a plot of land that has been neglected over the years, or
you are not sure what else to do with it, adding native wildflowers flowers can not only benefit your garden
aesthetically, but also help attract native bees for pollination! The plants listed below all require minimal watering
since they have adapted to live in this arid climate. This blend should allow for blooming from spring to fall.
Common Yarrow, Achillea millifolium :
This plant is in the sunflower family, Asteraceae. This is
a perennial herb with small and numerous white
flowers, but sometimes colors can range from yellow to
violet, and will flower from May through June.
Plant seeds in early spring, no more than ¼ inch deep
because sunlight is important for their germination.
Plants do best in well-drained soils, and may suffer from
root rot and mildew if in poorly drained soils. It has many
medicinal properties, such as using the flowers in tea for
fevers.
Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, Cleome serrulata :
This plant is in the caper family, Capparaceae. This family
is closely related to the mustard family, Brassicaceae,
where plants produce mustard oils. This is an annual forb
with an erect stem; leaflets in three, can reach 4-5 feet in
height, and a cluster of showy pink flowers.
Plant seeds in early spring in well drained soils. This plant
will flower from mid-summer till early fall. This plant can
be boiled into a tea and reduced to create an organic
paint. Native Americans boiled the leaves for food and
also used as a stomachache pain remedy.
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Sulfur Buckwheat, Eriogonum umbellatum :
Don’t worry; this plant is named after its color, not smell. This
plant is in the Polygonaceae family, or buckwheat family. This
plant is a low cover, woody perennially with pleasant sulfur
colored flowers that turns to a rusty red as it ages. Though it
may not flower during its first year of establishment, it will
flower from summer till fall. These seeds need to be cold
stratified, which means they require 8-12 weeks in cold, moist
ground before germination. You can also achieve this by
placing the seeds in a mesh bag buried in sand under
refrigeration at 34-37F, then plant in early spring. Plants do
best in a sunny, well-drained site.
Resources: Plants.usda.gov Wildflower.org
Nvnps.org
DynamicDuoKeepsComingBack VolunteerSpotlight
byAndrewCervantes
Bailey Watkins and Pamela Hong believe in Urban Roots. For the past six months, these well rounded University of
Nevada Reno students have been dedicating hours of their valuable time to volunteer at the Urban Roots farm.
Originally assigned to Urban Roots to fulfill hours on a service learning project, they approached me the day their
mandatory service ended and asked to continue to volunteer. Considering that I consider myself to be a life-long
volunteer, and have volunteered with many different organizations, and recognizing what brings volunteers back
and what does not, I was thrilled to be able to mentor. In my mind, to foster the spirit of volunteerism and service
is a great service in itself, but to consider the ripple effect of whom volunteers will impact is unfathomable. I am
honored to work with Pamela and Bailey, and took a moment to ask them what they thought about volunteerism,
and local and global impacts. These are their thoughts:
Why are you interested in volunteering with Urban Roots?
Bailey: I care about the issues Urban Roots works to address and I am passionate about educating kids, especially
less privileged kids, and providing them with tools to have access to better food and a better future. I also love doing
any work that benefits the earth.
Pamela: I volunteer at Urban Roots because I seek opportunities to be around positive people, and I believe that this
non-profit shares good messages with youth and those messages ripple on.
Why do you keep coming back to volunteer?
Bailey: It's fun! I love the work and hope to learn more as I continue to volunteer!
Pamela: Yes, because it’s fun! I get to learn so many different things each time that I come here. It is a good
environment to be around, and considering that this is a farm, there is always something new, hands-on, and
interesting to do.
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Are you involved with other organizations?
Pamela: I enjoy volunteering with the canines at the humane society because I contribute to their nurturing. Over
spring break, I volunteered with the Little Free Library, and created accessible avenues to promote literacy. I am also
in the French Club, and in the Honors Outdoor Club.
Bailey: I am involved in a lot of political advocacy through the other organizations. I am trying to become more
involved with Build Our Center, and their youth group HOMIES. On campus, I am in the VOX group (Voices for
Planned Parenthood), a member of the Queer Student Union, and of the Reno Justice Coalition.
What was your garden experience before volunteering at Urban Roots?
Bailey: I had a garden at home. We grew giant pumpkins, flowers, zucchini, etc.
Pamela: For the first six years of my life, I was raised on a farm in the Philippines, but wasn’t really involved other
than being around.
Where do you want to take your gained agriculture/garden experience in the future?
Pamela: Understanding where my food comes from is quite important to me, and I hope to maintain a healthy
lifestyle, so that I can continue to be with youth and elders who pass this invaluable knowledge down.
Bailey: I'm not sure! I don't really know what I'm doing in life, but I'll at the very least be able to better care for my
own garden and house plants. And hopefully teach others!
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What kinds of changes do you hope to see in the local community and global community in the next ten years?
Bailey: I hope that the local and global community becomes more aware of and active regarding environmental
issues, like food deserts and drought. I also hope to see a greater shift towards general equity among people, because
unity is community. I am from Reno, and I hope to see less segregation in the Nevada education system because our
kids need and deserve better.
Pamela: I am a Philippina / Las Vegas native. However, I hope that the Reno community and the Las Vegas community
become more invested in their health. Globally, I hope to realize a synthesis between the present technology boom
and conservation of the earth.
Both Pamela and Bailey are multi-talented, cultured, and truly care about the wellbeing of the fellow creatures that
inhabit their space. Undoubtedly, these leaders will continue to support their local and global communities, and
advocate for a better and just future.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” This popular quote encourages us to
change. What kind of future could we create if we allowed ourselves time to momentarily pause to reflect upon the
internal and external changes envisioned? Only time will tell if the youth that are reached by the Urban Roots, and
similar minded programs, can continue to defend and create life sustaining systems.
HerbalMedicinalBalms&Salves SkillShare
byMJPickett
Ingredients:
1 oz. beeswax
¼ cup oil (olive, avocado or sunflower, whichever you
prefer.)
Essential oils (I love lavender and geranium!)
2-3 vitamin E capsules
Tools:
Double boiler
Spoon
Kitchen glove
Container of choice
Steps:
1. Bring water to a boil in the bottom pan of your double boiler. Once boiling, bring down to a simmer and
place top pan in bottom pan.
2. Melt your beeswax in the top pan of your double boiler. Once beeswax is almost complete melted, add
your oil. Stir. Add your vitamin E
3. You can test the constituency of your balm by taking your spoon out of the pan and putting it in the
refrigerator for a moment. If it is too soft, add more beeswax, if it is too hard, add more oil.
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4. Once you find the right consistency and it is completely
melted down, take the top pan off heat and let cool for a few
minutes (2-5 min).
5. Continue stirring. Add your essential oils. (I like to do about 5
drops of each of my oils, depending on my blend)
6. Pour mixture into your container. Let cool before use.
Additional Options:
1. To make salves, use ¾ oz. beeswax and ½ cup oil; to make
ointments, use ½ oz. beeswax and 1 cup oil.
2. A few days before making your product, pour oil over herbs,
and place in a sunny window to infuse.
For more products visit https://www.facebook.com/goldenmonarchherbals. Contact MJ Pickett by email at
mjpickett914@gmail.com for information about purchasing essential oils.
WhereintheWorldisFarmCorps? FeatureStory
bySarahBurton
Buds and blooms are evident on the Urban Roots campus as
spring comes into full swing. FarmCorps members are busy
prepping beds, cleaning up the farm, and tending seedlings
upcoming seedling sales. We’ve also been traveling throughout
Reno, and to other communities in Northern Nevada.
While onsite at the High Desert Hops project, FarmCorps
members learned to drive tractors and the scissor lift. We
tamped 20 two-foot pine poles into place, to make way for a
cable trellising system. Ten varieties of hops will be strung from
the cable grid, making it quite a sight to see for drivers on
McCarran Blvd.
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It’s still early in the season, but our hops are showing
new growth and rhizomes. They are in their second
year of production, and we hope to have a great crop
this year to share with local brewers.
With student assistance, we finished construction on
a hoop house at Lemelson STEM Academy.
FarmCorps and VISTA members are now teaching in
five different classrooms, on topics ranging from soil
science, plant anatomy, sustainable agriculture
techniques & much more! We showed students how
to start their own seedlings, which will be
transplanted in the hoop house and outdoor garden
beds.
We broke ground, so to speak, on the school garden
at Huffaker High, which required us to remove a
concrete bench, build a fence, and install raised beds.
At the beginning of March, our crew travelled to Schurz,
Smith Valley and Yerington, Nevada; to work with local
tribes on the construction of three hoop houses. In
summer 2015, two Rural Outreach educators will join the
Urban Roots team. These AmeriCorps members will
develop established relationships further, and work to
increase the number of school gardens in rural
communities, so that students can grow their own food
and prepare healthy snacks.
Permaculture design can be applied at any scale
and in any context: commercial or home scale, in
wet or dry climates, you name it. The outcomes in
each case will be different, but the whole systems
design approach is the same. The Labyrinth is our
latest attempt to implement the principles of
permaculture at Urban Roots Farm. The garden will
feature an assortment of native crops, wildflowers
and ground covers.
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Steam-PoachedEgginSpinach“Nest” FarmtoFork
byDanAlvey
This is far and away my favorite way to eat eggs. I love poached eggs, but they can be a hassle to make. This method
cooks eggs evenly, on a bed of spinach, without using water! Enjoy.
Steps:
1. Add a dash of coconut oil to a small pot or sauce
pan with glass lid. (oil is optional)
2. Put on stove top and apply medium heat.
3. Add 2 cups of baby spinach to a small pot or
sauce pan.
4. Once bed of spinach is down crack 2 -3 eggs on
top, making sure that they do not touch.
5. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Shake pan or
pot back and forth to check how well done eggs
are.
6. Once eggs reach desired consistency remove
from heat.
7. Serve with a dash of pepper and/or Sriracha.
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RenoInitiativeforShelter&Equality NonprofitSpotlight
byKelseyHoffman
Each quarter, Urban Roots will feature an organization in our community that we are proud to partner with, and
want to share with all of you! In this issue, we’re giving our love to The Reno Initiative for Shelter & Equality (RISE),
a nonprofit that seeks to create a stronger community through resource sharing and mutual aid. Keep reading to
hear about our experience volunteering with RISE, and a few words of sage wisdom from co-founder and Executive
Director Ben Castro.
“HungerinNorthernNevadaisexperienced365daysayear–notjustonThanksgivingandChristmas.”
On a chilly evening in late January, I enjoyed my first taste of Reno’s Basque food. Since moving here, numerous
people have told me to try this regional delicacy. They’ve inspired me to learn the history of sheepherders, and
explore aspen groves in search of 100-year-old tree carvings. At a red-checkered table, beside a group of strangers,
my coworkers and I enjoyed multiple courses of meat, potatoes, ice cream, and mint jelly. As AmeriCorps volunteers,
cash is tight, so we decided
to split an entrée, paying
no attention to the fee
for sides. When the bill
came, we were
shocked, and
begrudgingly pooled
our resources pay, but
ultimately came away
thankful for what the
meal had given us: full
bellies and temporary
shelter from the cold.
Just one hour earlier,
we had met and served
100s of hungry
strangers, many
homeless, from an
exposed, outdoor
parking lot, a humbling
experience that we will
not soon forget.
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RISE & Dine is a community-run potluck that began in January 2012. The idea is simple: gather with friends, family
and neighbors to make a home-cooked dish, and serve it to locals in need. Two Saturdays per month, groups and
individuals volunteer with RISE, to serve food or operate the free store of clothing and toiletries. On a typical night,
there will be cauldrons of chili, chicken tortilla casserole, vegetable and tomato soup; bowls of salad, bread, cookies;
and carafes of coffee and tea. Volunteers range from parents with children, to church assemblies and sports teams,
to our group of Urban Roots’ AmeriCorps members. I
recently interviewed Ben Castro, the co-founder and
Executive Director of RISE, to learn more. He noted the
diverse volunteer base that RISE attracts.
“The people serving next to each other in line, they may
have absolutely nothing in common. They may be from
different demographics, theologies, or philosophies, but
they do have two things that unite them…One, they’re
neighbors, they live in the same town and two, something
brought them down there in service to their fellow human.
If we can just focus on those similarities instead of always
bickering about our differences, then maybe the world
would be a better place.”
RISE began as a group of friends that were frustrated with
the ways of the world and what’s being done to tackle issues
of poverty, hunger and homelessness. “We rolled up our
sleeves and decided to do it ourselves” says Ben, “we
emptied what we had in the fridge and turned it into a soup
to give to our houseless neighbors.”
The first advertisement for volunteers was posted on
Craigslist, and from that day, the project has continued week
after week for 3 years.
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Standing at the table was eye-opening for me. About 300 people lined up, some more than an hour early, to
guarantee being served. There were families, single men and women, young and old. For the volunteers, this is an
opportunity to “see with their own eyes what’s happening; to come down and experience the reality of hunger,
which will hopefully incite an urgency to do something about it,” said Ben.
“Thepeopleservingnexttoeachotherinline,theymayhaveabsolutelynothingincommon.”
It’s also about destroying the perception of who a homeless person is and how they arrived there. Ben described the
different classes of homelessness to me. Transitional, when a person is in between jobs and misses a rent payment,
pushing them to the streets for a few months. Generational, when their parents were poor, their parent’s parents
were poor, and they didn’t grow up learning the skills necessary to be successful in this society. Then there’s mental
and physical disabilities – and addiction problems – which unfortunately the bulk of homeless are perceived to have.
Talking with Ben, I was especially interested in how organizations like Urban Roots and RISE can work together. How
do we bridge the divide between “the foodies,” e.g. local farmers, restaurateurs, brewers, and others working to
improve the food system; with those providing whatever food is available, regardless of quality, to those who need
it now? Ben mentioned the Giving Gardens model, which places homeless folks on farms, where they perform
agricultural labor in exchange for a share of produce and a place to stay.
The food movement in Reno has so much potential to include both organizations working for food justice, and those
working to improve the quality and sustainability of our food, and we see our partnership with RISE as a step in the
right direction.
To participate in the community potluck, or donate to the free store, visit renoinitiative.org or email
info@renoinitiative.org The Community Assistance Center is located at 335 Record Street, one block east of 4th and
Evans. You will find RISE in the CAC parking lot.
FaceofaFarmerArtContest KidsPage
byPleasantValleyElementary
The Face of a Farmer Art
Contest was an
opportunity for students
to showcase their
unique perspective on
food and farming, while
encouraging them to
think about who grows
their food. Students
grades K-8 in the
WCSD were eligible to
participate. The winning
class was selected and
announced at our Open
Farm House event
on March 7, 2015.
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LemelsonSTEMSproutstowardtheSun SchoolSpotlight
byAndrewCervantes
The Lemelson STEM Academy Morning Mug occurs every month and is an opportunity for parents to meet teachers,
administrators, and guest speakers who are involved in the communal efforts of educating students. I was privileged
to attend the March Morning Mug on behalf of Urban Roots. Despite my shyness to converse in Spanish in front of
twenty Latina mothers and infants, traveled to the garden and discussed the vegetables and community that can
sprout from the garden, and within an astronomy dome we discussed the constellations in the night sky. While the
astronomy dome is an exciting temporary installation, if maintained, the garden will continue to grow and offer
healthy teaching opportunities for seasons on end.
The partnership between Urban Roots and Lemelson began when Urban Roots received funding from the Leonette
Foundation to support Title 1 schools. With financial support we have endeavored to develop a sustainable garden
program by continuing to teach teachers how to utilize the garden space as a standards-based teaching tool,
organizing garden committees, encouraging healthy choices for the students, and in April will proudly welcome the
students and teachers to the Urban Roots teaching farm.
One of the many dedicated educators that we have been working with is second grade teacher Carolyn Ruckstuhl.
Ms. Ruckstuhl’s 20 students are engaged and excited to learn about life. I asked her what she thought about the
blossoming garden program and how she envisioned its role in the community. These were her words:
Why do you want a school garden/What is your vision?
A school garden is a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience growing plants and all things related to
gardening whilst also providing amazing opportunities for learning through hands-on activities and projects
accessing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for life science across grade levels. The school garden
lessons, activities, and projects are perfect examples of Lemelson S.T.E.M. Academy’s STEM teaching model. It is
also an opportunity to involve students, families, and the community with a wholesome project that can benefit all,
and encourage healthy living. We want to incorporate cooking and healthy eating into a STEM night at the school
and STEM lessons in the classrooms and garden areas and ultimately sell our produce to the community.
What are some of the successes and challenges that you face with the school garden?
Currently, the successes are the second grade classes’ plants still living and growing through the winter! Students
are involved in watering our garden beds and are invested in the garden. Many mention eating our salad garden
and 100 percent believe in a harvest outcome.
We include in our successes and are so thankful to Urban Roots for the wonderful experiences of helping Urban
Roots finish building our hoop house. Also, Urban Roots came out to discuss soils for planting and set up a scientific
inquiry experiment based on the question of Do plants grow better in soil or compost? Additionally, Urban Roots
came most recently and helped the second and third graders plant tomato plant seeds to be grown in our hoop
house as well as involved us in understanding and getting our composter set up and working.
Challenges are how to best get this project off the ground in a workable manner involving all classrooms and our
families. We absolutely believe that success relies on a team effort and are still working on how this is all going to
work.
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How are the children involved?
Students planted the seeds, and are involved in watering our garden beds and seedlings in the hoop house. When
possible, they are involved in covering the beds when freezing temperatures are expected. As mentioned above in
our successes, our students were involved in finalizing our hoop house construction. Our classes will be planning
and carrying out investigations and using the scientific inquiry process in connection with the NGSS. We are going
to use a portion of our school waste as compost.
How will your school garden space impact the community over the next 5 years?
We hope to bring our families together to learn the skills of gardening along with their children. Families can take
this knowledge and these skills to incorporate healthy eating strategies into their home lives and be more
knowledgeable and more strategic consumers. The hope and vision is to use our garden to build community and
come together toward the common goal of a community garden sustained by school and neighborhood together
tending to the garden’s needs and then mutually enjoying the bounty of our harvests by purchasing and consuming
the produce from our garden.
Within Carolyn Ruckstuhl’s classroom, as within many of the educators’ classrooms, it is wildly apparent that these
adults are seasoned to effectively teach children. Her presence positively impacts our educators, and our youth’s
capacity to learn. At Urban Roots, we understand that the subject of our outreach is the community, from the youth
to the elders; we believe that a better future is possible if more people, as a minimum, seek healthier choices. Over
the past four seasons, our partnership with Lemelson STEM has undergone a pleasant development – from
examining microorganisms in compost, to sowing seeds in biodegradable papier-mâché pots and storing them in a
new hoop house - the community of teachers, students, and parents have collectively begun to awaken the once
dormant garden and offer a more rounded education to the youth. It is spring, buds are forming and opening, the
universe is vast, and the world keeps turning.
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Contributors
Kayla Kennett is a current Leah Madison is a current
VISTA at Urban Roots, serving VISTA, placed at the Desert
as the Marketing Coordinator. Research Institute (DRI) She
She graduate from Wheaton is from Minden, Nevada &
College in 2014, with a BA in a graduate of UNR, where
English and Gender Studies. she studied Biology. Among
Kayla is a poet, and hopes to her interests are Mycology,
start her own lit mag one day. backpacking and Dr. Who.
Shannon Lencioni is a member Andrew Cervantes is a VISTA
of the FarmCorps crew, whose alum, who served as Farm to
knowledge of native plants has School Coordinator. This fall,
been so valuable to us. She is a he will begin to pursue an MA
graduate of UNR and a lifelong in Biology from the University
student of nature. Her curiosity of Oregon. At Urban Roots, he
and attention to detail make for left behind many admirers of
fantastic botanical drawings. his whimsical and kind spirit.
MJ Pickett is Urban Roots’ Farm Sarah Burton is the FarmCorps
to School Program Director. She crew leader. Under her leader-
relocated from the East Coast for ship, the Farm has undergone
NCCC and quickly fell in love with significant transformations this
the Sierras and sagebrush. Her year, including several new
interest in holistic & sustainable permaculture design features.
living has inspired her to learn to She enjoys craft beer, baseball
make her own healing products. and hitting the slopes.
Dan Alvey is a VISTA alum, who Kelsey Hoffman is a current
developed and launched the UR VISTA at Urban Roots, where
Membership Program in Winter she is helping to create more
2015. His talent for photography learning opportunities for
was indispensable, and many of adults and teens, as one of
the photos in this newsletter can our Community Education
be credited to him. He currently Coordinators. She graduated
works for Friends of the Nevada from PSU in 2014, with a BA
Wilderness. in Anthropology and Spanish.
"Fertilityofthesoilisthefutureofcivilization."
-SirAlbertHoward
