The Winnemucca Community Garden is gearing up for this year's growing season but community involvement is going to play a vital role in ensuring the garden continues to blossom.
The garden is reeling from the loss of its director Amanda Hoffer, who moved to Chicago, but AmeriCorps member Kimberly Madrid, who is currently running things, said she is optimistic.
"We are trying to figure out where to go from here," Madrid said. "She's got some very big shoes to fill."
Madrid is the only paid garden employee but she is hopeful they will be able to find a candidate to fill Hoffer's spot. The garden's board of directors also has a new face this year: President Teresa Howell.
Hoffer wasn't the only one to head out at the end of the year, however. There are still some vacant spots on the board that need to be filled.
In addition to changes in staffing and board members, the garden is also preparing for a move. The office is located in the 3R Building on Melarkey Street but will be relocated to the Nevada Outdoor School offices in April.
"They have been gracious enough to donate space to us," Madrid said. "That will cut costs."
There is a lot going on in terms of restructuring, according to Madrid and much is going to hinge on community support.
"I'm optimistic but we really need some more interest from the public," she said. "We need more involvement from the public for the garden to continue."
One of the main functions of the garden, aside from giving the community a place to grow, is to provide programs for the hungry and for students. The garden's Plant a Row for the Hungry program supplies produce to the food bank.
Madrid said she recently received funding to improve the program but again it comes down to community involvement. The money is there but volunteers are needed to carry out the work.
Another garden program revolves around students and education. The garden hosts several educational fairs for local students throughout the year and volunteers are vital for pulling those events off as well.
The garden, which is in need of thousands of dollars of maintenance work, is mainly funded by grants, according to Madrid. A large portion of their funding comes from the Newmont Legacy Fund, she said, and it recently received a $2,500 donation from Barrick.
The garden raises some funds from its yearly kick-off event which is scheduled for May 10. The event will feature a silent auction, bake sale, seedling sale and live music and entertainment. The event heavily depends on community involvement, volunteers and donations.
Garden board members and staff are still hoping to build a pavilion, Madrid said, but because funds are so low the first priority for any money raised will be maintenance. Any extra funds will go toward the pavilion.
Madrid said she is seeing a lot of interest in plots this year and encourages anyone who wants one to sign up sooner rather than later. Plot fees are $20 but Madrid said they are often waived for people who can't afford it.
"If you don't have money we can waive fees," she said. "We just need you to come out and play in the dirt with us."
In addition to the garden's ground-level plots, there are also raised beds available - some that are made for standing and some that have a bench. Those plots are ideal for elderly garden patrons or those with disabilities. Madrid said, unfortunately, those beds usually remain open all season. Whether its because of lack of interest or lack of knowledge about the beds she isn't sure.
Despite some major changes on the horizon for the garden and its staff and board, Madrid is hopeful about the interest she has seen so far, but knows that the success of the garden will depend on how the community steps forward to support it.
"We need public involvement to sustain the programs and help out with our main event," she said, and added, "Sign up for a plot now if you want to be sure to get one."
The garden is hosting a two-part workshop this Saturday. The first is a pruning workshop, followed by a native plant workshop at noon.[[In-content Ad]]
