Verde Valley School

The VVS Global Garden was established in spring 2013 using almost all found and recycled materials. Students made the exterior fence using recycled pallets, rock cairns, scrap metal, and an old school bus for the tool shed. Our motivation for building the garden was threefold: to provide a sustainably-grown, local source of produce for our dining hall, to involve students in all aspects of garden management for educational and practical purposes, and to use the garden as an outreach tool for the local community to learn more about sustainability. Growing food crops in the upland semi-desert of Arizona is challenging; not only are the climatic factors tricky (hot and dry, but cold nights), the crops must be diligently protected from a tremendous variety of wildlife (javelina, deer, rabbits, gophers, insects, and even lizards who will eat the tender seedlings). This grant will help us provide a stipend this year for our part-time garden manager, will help pay for necessary crop protection supplies (from frost and pests), and will help us build an outdoor classroom in the garden.