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Community Garden-SRPMIC

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Community Garden Program

Farming is a responsibility that has been practiced by both the O’odham and Piipaash for thousands of years. Today farming is no longer a way of life for most people in the community. The Community Garden Program was established to educate our people on the importance of traditional agricultural practices, the indigenous foods and revitalizing this way of life.

Our Vision

To ensure the survival and continued use of plants historically gathered by the O’odham and Piipaash

To revitalize and maintain traditional community farming knowledge and associated cultural values

To utilize traditional and modern techniques to reestablish farming/gardening as a regular practice in the lives of community members

To contribute to a healthier community

Responsibilities

The Seed Bank

The Community Garden Program acquires, propagates and preserves a diverse collection of seeds to support the continued survival of native and traditional plant varieties. These seeds are made available to community members who want to establish their own home gardens and personal seed banks.

Community and Demonstration Garden

Our Program maintains a Community Garden for a number of important reasons:

  • Domesticated, heirloom and wild plant species used by our ancestors as food, medicine and other utilitarian purposes are cultivated, harvested and distributed annually for Community and program use.
  • The seasonal grow outs in the Community Garden provide an ongoing resource of seeds for the seed bank.
  • The Community Garden demonstrates a variety of farming methods using integrated traditional and contemporary technologies. Tribal members who visit the garden are able to see how these methods function and determine which may be most suitable for their own home gardens.
  • The Community Garden provides small plots of land for SRPMIC programs serving the Community. These gardens are completely maintained by the group assigned to the plot. They are not maintained by the Community Garden staff.

Education and Outreach

  • Our primary education tool is maintaining the Community Garden. Information can be shared in a variety of ways, but demonstrating first hand is our most effective tool.
  • The Community Garden staff develops presentations, classes and reference materials for Community members and SRPMIC programs on a variety of topics related to farming and traditional plant use.
  • The CRD Garden staff serves as an information resource for Community members interested in starting and maintaining home gardens.

What We Have to Offer

On a limited basis, the Community Garden staff assists Community members with establishing home gardens. We do not provide any maintenance services.

The Community Garden is a resource for homeowners. The garden showcases a variety of design examples that Community Members may incorporate on their own.

Traditional varieties of seed are offered to community members to help start their own seed banks (based on availability at the time).

Resources like book lists, plant charts, and seed sources are also available.

Everyone is welcome to visit, please call (480) 362-6325 for time schedule.