Community Sustainability in the Roaring Fork Valley: High Altitude Permaculture and Greenhouse Design and Implementation Involving Youth Participation and Planning

Image

 
This community food sustainability program focuses on teaching food growing to high school students in Glenwood Springs, CO at Yampah Mountain High School (YMHS) and in Carbondale, CO at Roaring Fork High School (RFHS). YMHS has a 23 foot diameter geodesic dome greenhouse with a climate battery for maintaining year round growing conditions at a high altitude and RFHS has a 42 foot diameter dome with a climate battery. Both schools use their grow domes for science classes with the high school students. The program has a number of opportunities for public participation throughout the year, particularly at RFHS, as they will be planting an orchard and permaculture garden around the dome this fall. Sunday, October 10, 2010 will be a community orchard planting day when anyone can participate in planting heirloom fruit trees at RFHS in Carbondale. 

These school food growing domes serve their schools primarily as learning labs for the students and as sites for students to grow food to be consumed at school. At RFHS, the food grown on site will go into the school lunch as soon as there are sufficient quantities. Salads are currently being served. The 1.5 acre farm planned for the Roaring Fork High School grounds in spring of 2011 will serve the entire community and region as an organic CSA farm school in the summers. Any adult will be able to enroll in the farm school to learn organic farming and permaculture techniques. Any local community member will be able to join the CSA or buy produce at the Farmer's Market in summer 2011. 

Because these domes are on school property it is necessary for any visitors to check in at the front desk before touring or volunteering on site. 

Please view the website for more information on community events that are open to the public : 

http://www.rfhs-greenhouse.blogspot.com/