In Nevada, Hitching a Hoop House to a Hospital for a Community in Need

A hoop house on the campus of Carson Tahoe Health is filled with fresh vegetables that are donated to community organizations, including Meals on Wheels. If food is medicine, Carson Tahoe Health has a prescription for what ails its community. A mini farm on the campus of the medical center in Carson City, Nevada, overflows with fresh vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, peas, carrots, salad greens, and root vegetables. Since the 960-square-foot hoop house and raised beds were first installed this past summer, the Foothill Garden has become a beacon in the fight against hunger. Carson City, the relatively quiet capital of Nevada, ranks as one of the best places to retire in the state, but job opportunities are limited compared with bigger cities like Reno and Las Vegas. Unemployment in this small city, located just east of Lake Tahoe, hovered around 4.3 percent according to the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, compared the national rate of 3.9 percent during that same period (July). Many residents struggle to put fresh food on their tables. “A lot of our residents live in food deserts and shop for their groceries at the convenience store,” says Cory King, site […]

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