Gardening Classes Cultivate Food Security in Cortez

Many Cortez residents want to grow their own food to supplement their diets with fresh produce, but they lack the knowledge and tools to get started successfully. Staff with the local CSU extension office and the Good Samaritan Food Pantry recognized this shared challenge, so they reached out to LOR with a collaborative solution. LOR’s funding will help Montezuma County CSU Extension host multiple gardening classes utilizing the food pantry’s garden beds, covering essential skills from seed starting to pest management. These hands-on classes will teach participants how to grow vegetables in both home and community gardens, helping residents reduce food costs while increasing access to healthy, locally-grown food.