The beginning of spring on Cheyenne River also marked the start of the Cheyenne River Youth Project’s 2014 “Get Out and Garden” series of classes. Part of CRYP’s effort to promote healthy lifestyles and food security on Cheyenne River, the “Get Out and Garden” classes will focus on teaching introductory gardening and food/craft entrepreneurship skills to the community.
The class series began on March 13 with a gardening basics class led by Sturgis-based Bear Butte Gardens. The farmers from Bear Butte taught community members about starting seeds, planting dates, variety selection and much more. The spring edition of the series will feature four more classes with additional guest speakers from the South Dakota area.
Thursday, March 27 (5:30-7 p.m.): Backyard Poultry Keeping. If you are a fresh-egg enthusiast, this is the class for you! Topics to be covered include chicken coop construction, bird varieties and chicken health. There will be baby chicks, as well. Mark Ford from National Relief Charities will lead the discussion.
Thursday, April 10 (5:30-7 p.m.): Building and Designing your Garden. This class will focus on preparing and designing a garden plot that fits the needs of your family and the conditions of your growing site. Participants will learn about several different styles of garden design. At the conclusion of the class, participants will have developed their own garden designs and plans for implementing them. Marcella Gilbert from the SDSU Extension office will help lead the discussion.
Thursday, April 24 (5:30-7 p.m.): Garden and Craft Entrepreneurship. If you’ve ever thought about selling the extra vegetables in your garden or the crafts you make at home, join CRYP for an introductory presentation on food and craft entrepreneurship led by the Four Bands Community Fund. This is a must-attend event for all those interested in having booths at the CRYP Leading Lady Farmer’s Market during the 2014 season.
Thursday, May 8 (5:30-7 p.m.): Garden Irrigation and Organic Fertilization. Gardening on the high prairie is not always an easy task. This program will focus on cost- and time-efficient ways to irrigate garden crops during the dry summer months. The class also will cover organic and DIY methods of garden fertilization.
CRYP will announce its summer series of “Get Out and Garden” classes in late May.