SFCC Foundation has partnered with several organizations to revitalize and create a community culinary arts garden. GYO (Grow Your Own, which originally installed the raised beds), will work with Block to Block Community Gardens, a charitable organization that aids in restoration and creation of community gardens nationally. This group is associated with Love, Tito’s. Soil was also delivered by Reunity Farms. The partners launched the revitalized community culinary garden near the East entrance with a blessing and prayers by a Tesuque Pueblo elder on Saturday, April 17.
About 20 people (following COVID safe protocols) from SFCC, Grow Your Own, Block to Block and special guests from Tesuque Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo and Central New Mexico’s Horticulture Department celebrated the launch with a dedication ceremony and work day to revitalize the community culinary arts garden.
The gardens will provide produce for the culinary arts department and those in need at SFCC and Santa Fe. There are also plans for a Harvest Festival on Oct. 2. (Watch Campus Weekly, as well as the upcoming issue of Inside SFCC for more details and interviews with community partners.) The project will be coordinated by Ondine Frauenglass, Interim Director, SFCC Innovation Center, and overseen by Deborah Boldt, Executive Director, SFCC Foundation and Julia Deisler, Interim Dean, School of Trades, Advanced Technology, and Sustainability; School of Business, Professional Studies; and Education. Stephen Gomez, Ph.D., SFCC TATC; Linda Cassel, Arts on Campus; Ashley Martinez, SFCC Film; Chef Micaela Deaton and SFCC Culinary Arts and the Controlled Environment Agriculture staff and students are also involved in the initiative.
