Valley Verde

SHARED GARDEN PROGRAM: VALLEY VERDE PARTNERS WITH SCHOOLS IN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS. CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT TO GARDEN AT SCHOOL, WHILE THEIR PARENTS GARDEN AT HOME. FAMILIES ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM ARE PROVIDED RAISED-BED GARDENS AT HOME, ALONG WITH THE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO GROW FRESH VEGETABLES; SUCH AS SOIL, COMPOST, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, AND SEEDLINGS. FAMILIES ATTEND A FULL YEAR OF MONTHLY WORKSHOPS WHERE THEY LEARN ABOUT BEST PRACTICES IN ORGANIC URBAN AGRICULTURE. WE ALSO SHARE IDEAS FOR HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE AND DELICIOUS MEALS. IN ADDITION TO BUILDING SKILLS,WORKSHOPS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A STRONGER SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITH OTHERFAMILIES. AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, MANY HOME GARDENING ALUMNI STAY INVOLVED BY PICKINGUP FREE SEEDLINGS EACH SEASON FOR THEIR HOME GARDENS AND CONTINUING TO RECEIVETECHNICAL ADVICE FROM THE VALLEY VERDE COMMUNITY. DEEP ROOTS: AFTER A YEAR OF PARTICIPATION IN THE SHARED GARDEN PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTSARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEEP ROOTS PROGRAM, WHERE THEY LEARN ADVANCED GARDENING SKILLS, SUCH AS PROPAGATING, SEED GERMINATION, AND WATER CONSERVATION. IT'S A SIX MONTH PROGRAM. SUPER JARDINEROS: A TWO-YEAR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR DEEP ROOTS PROGRAM ALUMNI.PARTICIPANTS LEARN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING AS APPRENTICES AND LEARN TO GROW COMMERCIAL-QUALITY ORGANIC SEEDLINGS. THE SEEDLINGS ARE USED TO SUPPLY THE SHARED GARDEN PROGRAM AND/OR ARE SOLD TO THE PUBLIC. THE SEEDLINGS THAT ARE GROWN REFLECT THE CULTURAL PREFERENCES OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY'S LARGEST ETHNIC GROUPS, I.E. MEXICAN,VIETNAMESE, INDIAN, CHINESE, AND FILIPINO. HOMELAND NURSERY: VALLEY VERDE STARTED IT'S OWN NURSERY IN 2021. COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN PURCHASE MULTI-ETHNIC VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS FOR THEIR GARDEN.COMPOSTING: UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SIX MONTH COMPOSTING PROGRAM, WHERE THEY LEARN HOW TO TURN FOOD WASTE INTO COMPOST USING A COMPOST BIN OR A WORM BIN.