Check out the progress of the ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ถโ Community Garden this season! ๐๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ Garden Manager ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ gives a tour of the garden, showing us everything that goes into the management of it. The ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ถโ Community Garden is funded through the USDA UAIP grant, and its compost program is funded through the EPA CalRecycle grant.
Harvests from the garden supports food sovereignty initiatives such as the Local Food Purchasing Assistance, Title VI Elderโs Nutrition Program, the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Kitchen, Blue Lake Casinoโs restaurants, and surplus distribution through the Claudia Brundin Health Center.
The ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ถโ Community Garden is a chemical-free, no-till garden which avoids mechanical tillage to protect soil structure and microbes. Instead, soil health is built up through organic matter, broad forking, crop rotation, and compost teas. The garden does not use any herbicides, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers. The field is organized into four growing quadrants to optimize crop rotation and honor the four directions. There are a variety of crops grown at the garden, including a botanical medicine section, a cole crops area (Currently with brassicas), and two โThree Sistersโ garden sections. The Three Sisters method is an ancient companion planting method that originated with Native American Tribes, who planted corn, beans, and squash together for mutual benefit.
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Originally Published: 7/23/2025