Gardening nourishes our body, mind, and soul, and makes us healthy and happy. Watching tiny seeds are growing into the edible plants is both therapeutic and rewarding. However, gardening is not the cultural norm, and many of us do not have basic gardening knowledge and skills. Surprisingly, interests in home gardening have been exploding during this Covid-19 pandemic. I was trying to orders some seeds online last month, but many seed varieties and gardening products were sold out. People are seeking for gardening knowledge and resources driven by uncertainty or fear of food insecurity due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Food security means all people have sufficient, safe, and nutritious food access at all times to nourish their bodies and satisfy their dietary needs for an active, healthy life1. According to SNAP-Ed County Profile 20182, about one out of four children and one out of five adults in Del Norte County experience a lack of consistent access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. The food insecurity rate among children age under 18 years of age is 24%, and the food insecurity rate among individuals of all ages is 17%2. During this pandemic, food-insecure people and communities, especially children living in the outlying food desert areas might face more significant challenges to meet their dietary needs.
A group of community organizations and residents with the shared vision created a Del Norte Garden Coalition in January 2019, with a mission to inspire and empower our community to grow and eat better together. Currently, a Del Norte Garden coalition's members are CalFresh Healthy Living, Community Food Council for Del Norte and Tribal Lands, Open Door Community Health Center's Wellness Garden, Del Norte Solid Waste Management Authority, Tolowas Dee-ni' Nation, UCCE Master Gardeners and Curry County Master Gardeners program, and local garden experts, and garden clubs. A Del Norte Garden coalition has built a network on sharing garden resources and promoting health, resiliency, and efficacy through education and collaboration. We have offered an evidence-based beginning garden curriculum, Seed to Supper program to strengthen individuals and communities' food security.
Seed to Supper is a comprehensive beginning gardening program that provides adult learners with transformative experiences that increase both individuals and community food security through fostering food literacy, resiliency, community connectivity, and supportive social networks3. The curriculum is offered through the Oregon Food Bank (OFB) and Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Master Gardener Program. Several Garden Coalition members participated in the Seed to Supper new facilitator training last year that was hosted by OSU Extension Master Gardener Program in Brookings, Oregon. Through the training, we explored the curriculum content and adult learning model; and learned how to facilitate the curriculum. OSU Extension Master Garden Program provided access for those who participated in the New Facilitator training to a shared folder that holds a Seed to Supper digital book in English and Spanish, PowerPoint Slides, additional hands-on gardening activities, documents for recruitment and reporting, and evaluation. Del Norte and Curry County offered Seed to Supper beginner garden programs simultaneously from June through July 2019; both programs were successful and well received by both communities. A Del Norte Garden coalition offered a Seed to Supper new facilitator training, March 7th, 2020, to Del Norte County. We had incredible representation, including Smith River, Klamath, Crescent City, Brookings, and Humboldt County. Now we have 24 new garden teachers ready to provide Seed to Supper beginner gardening program to their communities.
Currently, Community Garden Coalition is offering a six week Seed to Supper virtual classes partnered with a UCCE Master Gardeners, Curry County's Master Gardener program, and Food Preserver Program to both Del Norte and Curry County residents. The six week Seed to Supper virtual class series started on May 14, 2020, and will end on June 18, 2020. Over a hundred people registered for the class within the first few days across the counties from California, Oregon and even Washington State. We had to send our Zoom invitation only to local residents in Del Norte and Curry counties. We offer lecture-style format using the PowerPoint slides on Tuesdays and Q & A style led by Master Gardeners on Thursdays each week. We also show a short video featuring a hands-on gardening tip from the local garden experts each week. Here is the link you can watch the recorded classes, videos, and PowerPoint slides. We will continue adding the new content as the classes go, so check for the updates. Here is the link:
Gardening is the way of our life, connecting us to the root and helps us to be more mindful and resilient. Let us reach out and check our neighbors, friends, and families to see if they are doing well or if they need anything. I think connecting and sharing food resources, tips, and ideas with one another are much needed in this challenging time. As a UCCE Master Gardener, I desire to share the credible sources of information and connecting people to the right resources and tools, and build healthy and resilient communities together, which will strengthen individuals and community food security and efficacy. If you have any questions regarding a Del Norte Garden coalition or would like to receive a Garden Coalition newsletter, please contact us.
Reference
1. United States Department of Agriculture. (2019). Food insecurity in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/
2. California Department of Public Health, Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Branch. (2018). Snap-ed 2018 county profile: Del Norte. Retrieved from https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DCDIC/NEOPB/Pages/SNAPEdCountyProfileDashboard.aspx
3. Oregon Food Bank. Gardening. Seed to Supper. Retrieved from https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/our-work/programs/education/gardening/