2021 Year End Update and News

Looking back on 2021, we can see how recent events have highlighted the nationwide need for teaching and facilitating food security through self-sufficiency. The pandemic continues to impact our national food system in an unparalleled way that affects farmers, ranchers, packaging, and transportation. Food shortages have trickled down to grocery stores and kitchen pantries. Here at home, a surprising 42% of children in Sheridan County face food insecurity. This social and economic dilemma, while challenging and complicated, only brings increased relevance to RiW, a program committed to making Wyomingites more resilient to life’s hardships through educating a new generation about growing, preparing, and consuming their own food. Since our inception in 2016, RIW volunteers have given an impressive 9,500 volunteer hours! These hours have helped establish enduring partnerships, organized community efforts, and proudly facilitated bringing ten garden projects into production.   As our partner gardens and programs continue to grow, we want to thank all of the teachers, parents, volunteers and KIDS who have made your gardens successful!   Big Horn School Coffeen Elementary Grace Anglican Church Highland Park Elementary Holy Name School Meadowlark Elementary Rooted at The Hub Sagebrush Elementary Tongue River Valley Community Center Woodland Park Elementary We are also grateful and proud to have teamed up with the Food Forest and Smith Alley to help with garden enhancements and farm walls!

Highlights from 2021

In the spring, RiW staff and volunteers hosted Seed Starting Workshops with seven schools and over 600 students for lessons on vermicomposting, planting seeds, and coffee growing. Approximately 800 transplants were shared with ten partner gardens through this effort! Thank you to all of the partners and volunteers who made this project possible! AmeriCorp Members, Landon's Greenhouse, Sheridan County Master Gardeners, Sheridan Seed Company, University of Wyoming ShREC, WYO Buckin' Beans

The 5th Annual Farm to Table & Hoe Down was a success in thanks to the generosity of sponsors, donors, and bidders the Hoe Down raised $115,000! Tickets sold out, the food was amazing (thank you to our many partners, chefs, and contributors for their delicious contributions of food and drink), there were three fantastic bands, children’s games and activities and so much more! Thank you!!!

In conjunction with C&B Operations, RiW built three new raised beds at the Hub on Smith! Thank you to John & Pam Standish for donating the lumber and Fletcher Construction for donating topsoil for this project! A grant with Wyoming State Forestry allowed RiW to install new garden and interpretive signs at the following gardens: Coffeen Elementary Ram’s Harvest Garden Eagle’s Nest Garden Garden of Pride Garden of Isidore The Food Forest Garden of Grace Meadowlark Elementary Special thanks to Val Burgess and Harold Golden for their dedication to this project! The Meadowlark Garden is continuing to grow and expand! This year they received a $3,000 grant through the Whole Kids Foundation, built several new raised beds, received a grant for an indoor lettuce tower, and continue to inspire us with their geodesic dome, hydroponics, thermodynamic heating solutions, and generosity! Construction at the Coffeen Elementary Garden has officially begun! To date, 4 apple trees are planted, fencing is installed and raised beds have been built and filled. Watch for ways to get involved as this garden continues to grow! Sagebrush Seed Starters had an exciting year. They began by hosting a farm wall at the school over the winter and then planted their first garden in the Sagebrush Community Garden! In conjunction with the Hoe Down, RiW implemented a brand new Culinary Experience component with five school gardens and local restaurants. Collaborations included: Frackelton’s & Ram’s Harvest Garden Sackett’s Market & Garden of Grace Innominate & Eagle’s Nest Garden Verdello & Garden of Isidore Cottonwood Kitchen & Woodland Park Students had the opportunity to harvest from their garden, visit with a local chef, and learn how to create unique recipes in a professional kitchen! Once again, RIW partnered with Science Kids to host their Garden Gnomes summer program. Partners included the Brinton Museum, the Brinton Bistro, Sonya Caywood Fine Art, Landon’s Nursery, Papa Joe’s Produce, The Sheridan Food Forest, Western Variety Farm, Annie’s Farm and Tongue River Honey. Students spent the week touring local agriculture facilities to learn about hydroponic gardening, organic and micro-farms, landscape nurseries, pollinators, seed dispersal and arts in the garden! Little Goose Media generously donated their time and expertise to design RIW’s first promotional video which was premiered at the 5th Annual Farm to Table and Hoe Down. RIW was featured twice on Cooking with Eric on KOTA Television. Big thanks to our sponsors, First Bank of Wyoming and Wyoming Roofing!

WELCOME New Hires: Jodi Kenney, Outreach & Project Coordinator and Garrett Key, AmeriCorp Member RIW participated in WyoGives for the first time and raised over $13,000! Watch for the next WyoGives event in July of 2022! Thanks to Wyoming Roofing for the Celebrity Visit Entry!

Strategic Plan Update

We are in the second year of working with Funding for Good on implementing our strategic plan. In the first year of our strategic plan, RIW achieved 100% of our goals.

Looking forward to 2022, our goals include: Building a Center for Sustainability Establishing a Planning Committee for a Local Foods Expo Building at Least One Non-School Garden Increasing Middle and High School Engagement Exploring a Local Seeds Library System and Resources Implementing an Annual Development Plan Cultivating an Investment Strategy

Thank you

We are exceedingly grateful for Bonnie Gregory, RIW Founder, Board President, gardener, organizer, and mentor extraordinaire who will be stepping down as our Board President after a two-year term. We are happy to say that Bonnie will be staying on as a board member and mentor!!! ~ As many of you already know, Lise Foy will be stepping down as RiW's Executive Director. We will miss her considerably, but are so excited for her as she enjoys more time with her family, home schooling her girls, and time at their family farm in Mississippi. Thank you for all you have done and been to RiW!

A special thank you to Sarah Welles who will be leaving the RIW Board this year after completing a two-year term. We appreciate the creativity, joy, and encouragement you brought to RIW during your time on our board of directors.

Thank You For Your Continued Support!

Visit our Website

Contact us here!