UC Cooperative Extension Sutter-Yuba establishes sustainable food program at Harmony Village

Residents co-create the project with UC Master Gardeners and UC Master Food Preservers

Harmony Village is a 62-unit permanent supportive housing project in Yuba City for low-income individuals who are either homeless or precariously housed, with priority going to veterans, the disabled and the elderly. A grant from the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) Small Grants Program enabled Sutter-Yuba County Director Whitney Brim-DeForest, UC Master Gardner Program Coordinator Cheryl Hoke and volunteers to work with residents of Harmony Village in creating a sustainable food program. 

The goal of the project is for the residents to learn to supplement their food needs, develop self-sustainment skills and preserve their fresh food as they continue to strive toward a healthier lifestyle.

The funding allowed UC Master Gardeners to assist Harmony Village in obtaining garden supplies and setting up ten raised garden beds in addition to an irrigation system, plants and a shed. The project helped the residents expand a small community garden into a sizable garden that can provide more fresh produce. “Everyone was so happy on our build day," said Hoke. "They thanked us for caring.”

With guidance from UC Master Gardeners, participants identified the types of food they wanted to grow – carrots, broccoli, cabbage and radishes – and learned how to prepare the soil, plant vegetables, care for the plants, and harvest the crops. In a second set of workshops in November 2023, residents planted onions and garlic in the garden and learned how to make pumpkin butter.

Residents also learn from UC Master Food Preservers how to preserve their fresh food items for a longer shelf life and how to incorporate food they grow into their meals, which helps ensure that every crop is used to the maximum extent.

“Every single class I have attended has been relevant and so very informative! I'm 63 years old and never experienced such practical information in my life,” said a Harmony Village resident. “The work these ladies have done has been so impactful in the lives of this community. We have an incredible new food source because of these two ladies and the Master Gardeners.”

With support from Sutter County, Harmony Village residents also receive a share of around 500 pounds of produce grown in the UC Master Gardener Learning Garden at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. Other recipients include Yuba City organizations Casa de Esperanza, Twin Rivers Crisis Center and Better Way Shelter.

Hoke has a desire to help anyone in the county who is interested in creating a garden to support a vulnerable community. “We're going to make sure we give them the knowledge to succeed,” she said.

Small grants, big impacts

Funding priorities for the Small Grants Program include supporting California farmers, ranchers and land stewards in the adoption of environmentally regenerative practices and partnering with rural, urban and tribal communities to expand access to healthy, sustainably produced food and promote community well-being.

“The Small Grants Program is an important part of our mission,” said Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, interim director of UC SAREP, a program of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Program outcomes show that a small financial investment can have a large impact in improving the lives of Californians.”

This article is part of a series on the impact of the UC SAREP Small Grants Program. To support this program, please donate here. Choose SAREP Small Grants Program for the designation.