ZUNI, NM (Apr. 11, 2024) — On Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19, the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project will officially launch the 2024 growing season with its fourth annual Garden Kits Distribution. Fifty registered families may pick up their garden kits during the weekend event, and the general public is invited to attend for a variety of fun and educational walk-and-learn stations.
This annual distribution is an important part of ZYEP’s Food Sovereignty initiative, which provides access to resources, instruction and knowledge sharing through its Agricultural Advisory Committee. Made possible with support from the New Mexico Department of Health, Newman’s Own Foundation, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, CoBank and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the program brings community members together to share the journey from prepping, planting and nurturing to harvesting, seed-saving and healthy recipes.
According to Khassandria Hattie, ZYEP food sovereignty leader and distribution organizer, ZYEP will send out registration forms to families in mid-April. The garden kits will be available to the first 50 families who register.
“We’re excited about this year’s kits,” Hattie said. “By limiting the number to 50, we are able to provide a greater selection of high-quality hand tools and even a wheelbarrow to each family. This will make gardening more accessible for all ages and abilities.”
Additional families can still participate, however. ZYEP will provide seeds, soil, and other gardening items to those who request them.
“We want to ensure our families get a good variety of fruits and vegetables so they can ‘eat the rainbow’ and get a full range of important nutrients,” Hattie said. “We will provide seeds for corn, squash, strawberries, melons, flowers and more.”
Full outdoor gardens are not possible for families who live in Zuni’s Middle Village, where space is limited. To accommodate them, ZYEP will be providing two 20- by 14-inch “grow bags” per family, which will allow them to grow small amounts of corn, squash and melons.
“Each year, we take feedback from participating families and refine the program to better meet the needs of our community,” said Brittny Seowtewa, ZYEP’s food sovereignty coordinator. “We want to get to know our families better through an interactive and meaningful program, one that has more one-on-one engagement.”
According to Seowtewa, families reported they prefer the hands-on, workshop-style environment of the walk-and-learn stations to the original drive-thru format devised during the early Covid pandemic years. This year’s stations will include Wheelbarrows, Tools, Seeds, Water Conservation, Pest Control, Soil, and Shade Cloth.
In addition to picking up Garden Kit items at the stations, families also will play games, learn important facts and skills, and make memories together.
“We encourage everyone in the Zuni community to come to the event if they’re curious and would like to learn more about gardening,” Seowtewa said. “We want to make this accessible and enjoyable for everyone, and to make sure our community has the resources and tools necessary to be successful.”
The Garden Kits Distribution also will kick off ZYEP’s annual series of Food Sovereignty workshops. Free and open to the public, these will take place on June 19, July 24, Aug. 21 and Sept. 25; in October, the youth project’s monthly Family Cook Nights will take over.
The June workshop will focus on water conservation and incorporate ZYEP’s first-ever rain barrel exchange. This is essentially a recycling program for existing rain barrels, which are plentiful in the community.
“We’re offering an incentive for people to bring their barrels to us if they’re not using them,” Seowtewa said. “They can exchange a rain barrel for a compost bin. And if you don’t have a rain barrel but would like one, you will be eligible to take one home.”
The July workshop will address composting and vermiculture. Attendees will learn about what can and can’t be composted, and how red worms help enrich the soil.
In August, families will come together to discuss healthy recipes that incorporate fresh produce from the garden. The final workshop will take place in September, and that will focus on seed-saving and food preservation.
“We always save a portion of our seeds,” Hattie said. “With this workshop, we also want to incorporate how you can reduce waste by preserving food through pickling.”
Last year, ZYEP reported that 30 to 50 community members of all ages attended each Food Sovereignty workshop. Hattie said they’re hoping for a similar or even greater turnout this year.
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09)
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
