Breaking Ground at the Pyramid Lake Orchard

Earlier this year, Dela Johns, a Natural Resources Coordinator at Pyramid Lake, applied for a grant through Dryer's Fruit Bars which would secure a full scale orchard if the community could gain enough support through public votes cast online. Towns from across the country competed for the prize, but at the end of August it was clear that Pyramid Lake had enough support in order to make the proposal a reality. A patch of land that was once an old baseball field (just outside the doors of the Natural Resources office) was designated as the best location for the trees. UNCE helped test the soils, which proved to be ideal for agricultural production. 

Last Friday, myself and Randy Emm (also of UNCE), were on site to oversee the groundbreaking. Although we were here to investigate new agricultural efforts in rural development, I must digress. I was surprised to notice something else going on in the periphery of our focus, solar panels. All of the schools, the museum and even some of the administrative buildings along our route to Nixon had solar panel grids. "This is the first solar highway in the country", said Johns. "The folks at Burning Man have donated and even taught our guys how to maintain the grids."

But back to the old baseball diamond where the fruit trees will be planted. The field is no doubt a fertile place for growth as new grasses have recently emerged after an unexpected fall rain shower. An irrigation system will reduce the amount of hands on maintenance required to produce a successful crop. To allow the orchard maximum exposure to sunlight, and to ensure loose soils for roots to develop in, a backhoe was used to trench out rows in an east-west grid, with rows spaced 20 feet apart. The trees will be placed 15 feet apart form each other within the rows. On November 6th, over 100 fruit trees of all varieties will arrive to be planted and nurtured for years to come.

"The idea of a community orchard fits the Paiute value of being self-sufficient and sharing. The orchard will be the table where the community will be brought together through education and action The orchard will be a sustainable source of nutrition and provide environmental benefits such as making oxygen, using up carbon dioxide, stabilizing eroding soils, putting nutrients back into the soil, and provide habitat for the small wildlife."

Nixon, NV
red = orchard
yellow = solar panel grids

Bring your kids to learn about geography, maps, and finding stuff with satellites!

Using GPS receivers we'll be creating and locating nearby geocaches. We'll also be using computers to create and view custom maps. Ages 9-19, FREE.

Learning to Grow at Mountain View Montessori School Gardens

Earlier this week, I was invited by Kerry Seymour, a Nutrition Specialist at UNCE, on a tour of an exemplary classroom garden in south Reno. The Mountain View Montessori School is governed by the philosophy that recognizes the child as his or her own leader in their educational journey. Dr. Maria Montessori, for whom the school is named after felt that, "The first duty of an education is to stir up life, but leave it free to develop."

The main garden area with raised beds and hoop house frame. Carrots, onions, garlic, potatoes, squash, corn and beans are all grown in the garden. The "three sisters" technique is used as a method for exploring North American history.

When you enter the school you will find no grade books or numbers on the doors distinguishing age. There are no fancy projectors or high tech computer equipment. But there are simple things such as compost bins, silverware and china to dine with, laundry tubs, shovels, trowels, writing utensils, paper, tools, a worm bin, pet fish, parakeets and plants. Hands on learning is essential to the school's model for teaching students about "practical life" activities.

 

After being thoroughly impressed with the inner workings of the school, we moved outside to see how the external world has direct impact on the learning environment. Cooking, gardening, building and other hand arts have been integrated into this approach, and a certain division of labor has evolved. Younger children are responsible for planting and harvesting vegetables and herbs in the gardens. Elementary students prepare lunches with the foods harvested. Adolescents learn how to maintain and analyze the use of hydroponic gardening and aquaculture for a full circle approach to sustainable living.

The hydroponics room offers a controlled environment for growing lettuces and other leafy greens.
Although the pineapple trees on the right will not survive winter in the high desert, they will be exported to benefit the students micro economy.

Sitting on nearly 3 acres, the school's landscape has evolved over the years to include: a main garden space, several herb gardens, trellis' of meandering grapes, berry patches, fruit trees and beautiful flowers to attract pollinators. There are also several sheep on the property, and the principal's dog Ruby wanders around freely. In the future there are plans to restore the native vegetation along a nearby riparian area, which will expand the boundaries of a more natural environment and continue to encourage stewardship of the land. 

A valuable reminder.

For more information about Mountain View Montessori School:  http://www.mountainviewmontessori.com/home.html

Nevada Indian Country Extension

I just finished this publication. I have uploaded the file to the free online platform for viewing PDF's at http://issuu.com/. You see, web 2.0 is all about links, now I will attempt to embed the uploaded file to this blog space.

Open publication - Free publishing - More university

The sound of corn growing: Behind UNCE

So this morning as I was coming into work I noticed a bunch of noise in the field of corn behind the building. Sure enough, workers were in the field hacking away at the stalks of corn, packing them in boxes and loading them into the bed of a pickup truck.

Santos, one of the farmers, asked if I had a bag...soon I returned with my eco friendly canvas sack and they started stuffing the thing with corn. They must have given me about 25 ears of corn. Probably some of the freshest corn I will ever eat. So if anyone in the office sees the corn hanging on the doorknob of my office, feel free to grab a few ears...

Great Basin Food Co-op: Local Food Committee

Great Basin Community Food Cooperative 

Last week I had the chance to sit in on a meeting with volunteers from the Great Basin Community Food Cooperative. The Local Food Committe's goal is to support local farmers. We discussed a variety of new ways that we can do this, one of which I am interested in will be to update and maintain geospatial data on foods growing in Nevada.

The project serves two primary purposes. First, it provides a tool in order to better communicate to consumers the relationships they have with the products they buy, and exposing them to the products available. Secondly, it provides producers with a sort of currency for visibility that will heighten awareness and consideration when consumers make their choices.

I did a little research and came up with a file from the USDA that has a current list of Producers in Nevada, click on the map to find out more info:


View Food Producers in Nevada in a larger map

Potentially, this map will also include all types of data related to local foods including: photos of the farms, gleaning opportunities, school projects, local urban farmers and gardens, restaurants that buy local, and anything else that we can think of related to eating and sustainability.

For more info: http://www.greatbasinfood.coop/

Nutrition of the Season: de España

(Photo: Krystal Perez)

I know it's not gumbo, but since Spain was victorious in the World Cup last weekend it would only be right to celebrate with a refreshing summer treat that originated there, GAZPACHO! Recipes can vary greatly in terms of composition (depending on specific geographic origin), but in general, gazpacho can be thought of as a cold tomato soup...

Here's the recipe my friend Krystal in Florida came up with:

What you'll need: 

1 hothouse cucumber, halved & seeded, but not peeled

2 red bell peppers, cored & seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
1 avocado
1 lime
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.) Roughly chop cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, & red onions into 1-in. cubes.
2.) Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade, & pulse until roughly chopped. Do NOT over-process!
3.) After processing each vegetable, combine them all in a large bowl. Then add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
4.) Mix well & top it off with the avocado and lime.
5.) Chill thoroughly before serving. 
Makes 6-8 servings.

Thanks for sharing Krystal!