Orchard Community Learning Center

The "Farm-to-Table" program cultivates 2.5 acres of organically grown fruits/vegetables, 2 acres of citrus, and a high tunnel at Spaces of Opportunity. Expenses are largely human resource in the farming for production of about 15,000 pounds of produce and 85,000 pounds of citrus. Farm-to-Table is an effort to provide local organically grown fruits and vegetables directly into our under-resourced community. It also connects to our Education and Food Relief Programs which utilize Farm-to-Table harvest.

The Educational Programs of the Orchard's work included (1) wellness education drawing on the plant-based "healthy roots" of our community's ancestors, utilizing the produce grown in our Farm-to-Table program; (2) youth camps/workshops centering on biodiversity of our desert environment, growing of food, and arts/music opportunities and; (3) operation of the Nature Explore Classroom for youth 2-8 years old at the 19 acre Spaces of Opportunity incubator farm/farmers' market.

2023 "Food Relief" projects were directly related to funding opportunities to deliver locally grown food to residents still negatively impacted by the COVID epidemic. Distributions were made in communities of oppressed nationalities and to senior living facilities whose residents are primarily Mexican and Mexican-American. This program also interfaced with our educational efforts toward healthy lifestyles through food.