The average carrot travels over 1,800 miles to get to our dinner plate. Processing and shipment of food accounts for 93 percent of our food cost.
The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will offer eight new “Grow Your Own!” classes in Carson City and 11 other Nevada cities to help residents who want to get on a path to more sustainable, local, healthy living by growing more of their own food.
April 3 through May 22, Cooperative Extension offices in Carson City, Elko, Eureka, Fallon, Hawthorne, Lovelock, Owyhee, Pahrump, Reno, Tonopah, Winnemucca and Yerington will once again offer the “Grow Your Own!” series, providing gardeners and health buffs in the State with a “back-to-the-basics” guide to great harvests in Nevada. The workshops will be held Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m., and topics include:
April 3: Seeds vs. starts: planning and planting your garden
April 10: Insects and other garden pests
April 17: Efficient irrigation for the home vegetable garden
April 24: Gardening in Nevada’s soils: A hero’s journey
May 1: Nutrients and fertilizers for your vegetables
May 8: Edible herbs and flowers
May 15: Berries and brambles
May 22: Selecting fruit tree varieties
“Anyone can become a better gardener by attending these classes,” said Horticulture Specialist Heidi Kratsch. “From the beginner to the advanced gardener, everyone can benefit from a Grow Your Own class.”
Extension experts will touch on garden planning, controlling pests, best practices for growing herbs and vegetables, and the best fruit varieties for Nevada.
“Gardening in Nevada is a challenge,” Kratsch said. “But you can learn to deal with our harsh climate and poor soils by building on the success of others. Grow Your Own educators are experienced gardeners and are excited to share what they know with the community.”
To register for any or all of the upcoming “Grow Your Own!” classes, contact Ashley Andrews at the Washoe County Cooperative Extension Office at 775-784-4848. The class fee for Reno residents is $15 per class, or $60 for all eight classes. Class fees in other locations vary.
Carson City residents should contact the Carson City/Storey County Cooperative Extension office for information on attending the series in those locations. Phone: (775) 887-2252.
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is the outreach college that extends knowledge from the University of Nevada, Reno and other land-grant universities to local communities to address critical needs. It is a federal-state-county partnership providing practical education Nevadans can trust to help people, businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a better future.
— Writer Claudene Wharton is a Communications Specialist for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Dean and Director’s Office. She can be reached at whartonc@unce.unr.edu