Construction is afoot on six hoop houses for the High Desert Farming Initiative , a farming presentation project with the University of Nevada , Reno .
The business - oriented collaborative will provide local growers and the ag diligence with applied research and demonstration in basketball hoop - house , greenhouse and organic farming in high desert climates , as well as assessment of various selection to support economic growth — primarily to fend for agriculture . Educational opportunity are also available to UNR students concerned in agriculture and business .
“ It ’s exciting to get come out and begin to understand the potential for this opening , ” tell Sam Males , director of UNR ’s Nevada Small Business Development Center . Males was instrumental in the design and funding of the hoop - family project and received a $ 500,000 subsidization in collaboration with Sen. Harry Reid and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development .
Jennifer Ott , also found in the Small Business Development Center , will be directing the undertaking , which is locate on 1 acre at the Valley Road Field Lab , one of the university ’s Nevada Agricultural Experiment Stations go as part of the College of Agriculture , Biotechnology and Natural Resources .
Rick Lattin , of Lattin Farms in Fallon , Nev. , is the liaison and husbandry advisor ferment with the high desert farming initiative , and is a part of its working group . Urban Roots , a germ - to - mesa education nonprofit and community partner to the undertaking , is working intimately with the initiative to aid realize the goals of training , research and outreach .
“ We ’re happy to be a part of the University ’s project , ” says Jeff Bryant , executive film director of Urban Roots . “ We ’re bringing a service - learning component through a Union AmeriCorps grant . We ’ll bring in young adults who want to be part of the ag community to do Clarence Day - to - twenty-four hour period , hand - in - the - crap work . ”
University of Nevado , Reno , is also offering a course in the fall through the College of Agriculture , Biotechnology and Natural Resources as part of the initiative . The course will cover originate crops , as well as crop production for small- to medium - scurf farm clientele .
“ This initiative is for research , outreach and education , ” Ott says . “ One means to carry through this is to try out and search different varieties of produce and turn methods so farmers wo n’t have to go through the disbursement and time of seeing what will grow and be profitable . We ’ve already have a Union stoppage grant to test a new mixture of lettuce for this area . ”
The ring house are schedule to be complete this summer and the first planting will begin in September 2013 when students give to class .
