LAS VEGAS (KNTV) — You might not think of Las Vegas as a place for growing fruits and vegetables, but a group in the Historic Westside neighborhood is making a difference, one plant at a time.
When she's not running her business, Taste Juice Bar, volunteer Danielle Goodwin enjoys helping at the Obodo Urban Farm at 1300 C Street. She's planted crops, built garden beds, hauled soil and mulch, and lent a hand at various Obodo community events.
"We're standing in the middle of a food-insecure neighborhood, so the access to fresh produce, fresh food, things like that, is little to none."
Food programs coordinator Cheyenne Kyle says Las Vegas actually has 285 growing days a year (more than San Diego) but the key to capitalizing on our ample desert sunshine while combating the heat is to plant seasonally.
During an interview in mid-February, Kyle explained, "for this upcoming season, I have tons of leafy greens, as you can see. I've got giant broad leaf mustards; they're absolutely gorgeous. I have collards; I have some bok choy."
The buzz of bees is palpable on this plot of land in the middle of Las Vegas, which produced more than 1,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables at the end of its 2022-23 growing season.
Obodo Collective executive director Tameka Henry says their work is "all about community, so that's what we're really striving for, is building community, and having this beautiful space for family and community engagement, where grandparents and children can learn to farm together."
Henry adds that their work goes beyond food insecurity.
"Our mission is to combat multi-generational poverty by providing long term supports and solutions. We not only focus on food insecurity, we do housing work as well, we observe in eviction court to keep families housed, and we also share resources such as early childhood education and childcare with families."
Farmer Cheyenne Kyle says volunteers like Danielle Goodwin help them help their community.
"Keep supporting us, keep volunteering, keep donating, because we are making an impact, we are making a change, right now, in real time."
For her volunteerism, Jeff Giles of Findlay Automotive Group spotlights Danielle Goodwin as the Vegas Stronger Champion for March 2024.
"We love the mission: helping people with food, with childcare, with housing, all the basics," he told Goodwin while presenting a check for $599.
"We know you're a great person and you're going to do great things, so we appreciate you so much."
