City Sprouts, Omaha's first community garden, has been cultivating community growth and education since its inception in 1995. This nonprofit organization took root in the Orchard Hill neighborhood in North Omaha when community members decided to transform an empty lot into a community garden. Nearly 30 years later, that vision for a local gardening hub has blossomed into a community leader of sustainable gardening education while tackling food insecurity.
Shannon Kyler became the North Program Manager of City Sprouts in 2016 and has witnessed the profound impact the community garden can have.
“I think people who don’t live in the neighborhood, that come here, are like, ‘Whoa, I had no idea that this space was here,’ and they are really inspired by that,” Kyler said. “Maybe this is a part of town they haven’t explored that much.”
Through various programs and workshops, City Sprouts offers hands-on learning experiences in organic and sustainable gardening techniques. Their Growing Gardeners Workshop Series provides year-round workshops focusing on skills such as growing, cooking, preserving and eating healthy local food. These workshops are free and open to all ages, aiming to educate and empower community members.
Sebrina Taylor, who has lived in the Orchard Hill community for 40 years, has seen firsthand the impact this organization has had on the neighborhood.
“I always wanted to learn how to garden, and I saw people gardening over here, so I started getting involved,” said Taylor, who has been a volunteer at City Sprouts for 25 years.
She brought her sons, nieces, nephews, and now her grandkids to the garden to learn alongside her and appreciate nature. Together they have grown fresh produce at the community garden which ends up on their dinner table. Access to healthy produce on a budget has made a significant impact on her family’s appreciation for delicious and nutritious food.
The community garden serves as a training ground for hundreds of participants throughout the growing season. Over 880 volunteers assist with planting, watering, harvesting, and conducting workshops and classes for the community and beyond.
In addition to educational programs, City Sprouts emphasizes youth employment through summer internships, offering young individuals the opportunity to develop employment skills in urban agriculture. By engaging with the community, City Sprouts not only provides access to fresh produce but also creates a space for learning and personal growth.
“It has always felt good to have a garden space where people can come and smell flowers and pick vegetables,” Kyler said. “But now, we have reached a point where we need to take this seriously, look at the big picture, and see where we can grow, share resources, and get the whole city to a place where everyone is getting fed.”
The shift from a community garden to an urban farm began in 2018 when Aaron French, manager of Urban Farm Initiatives, moved back to Omaha to develop an empty plot of land into a two-acre farm near Eppley Airfield.
“Looking at food as a justice issue is core to what we do at City Sprouts,” French said. “We’re not just growing great produce; we’re growing it for a reason. We believe everyone in Omaha should have equitable access to delicious, healthy produce.”
Through partnerships with organizations like the Food Bank and Whispering Roots, City Sprouts has dedicated itself to increasing the availability of fresh, culturally preferred produce for people in need. In 2023, the urban farm had a breakthrough year, growing and donating 15,734 pounds of fresh produce.
City Sprouts has significantly enhanced its impact on the Omaha community through a strategic partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This collaboration focuses on promoting soil health and conservation practices within urban agriculture, aligning with City Sprouts' mission to foster sustainable living and education.
“Our collaborative agreement with the NRCS has been huge, allowing us to reach urban growers in Omaha who are thirsty for knowledge on how to grow sustainably while valuing soil health,” French emphasized.
In 2015, City Sprouts received a grant from NRCS, which facilitated the acquisition of essential infrastructure, including a refrigerator and plans for a greenhouse. These additions have been crucial in supporting their urban farming operations, enabling the storage and distribution of fresh produce to communities lacking access to healthy food options.
Further strengthening this partnership, City Sprouts hosted the First Annual Urban + Small Scale Soil Health Field Day in collaboration with NRCS, Farm Service Agency (FSA), Nebraska Urban Soil Health Initiative, and Salt Creek Farmers Cooperative. This event provided a platform for urban farmers and gardeners to learn about soil health management practices tailored to small-scale and urban settings, emphasizing the importance of sustainable agriculture in urban environments.
City Sprouts has also been involved in promoting the Beginning Farmer Conservation Fellowship Program, aimed at supporting new farmers in adopting conservation practices. By participating in such initiatives, City Sprouts contributes to building healthy, local food systems and encourages sustainable farming practices among emerging farmers.
“In facing those challenges, what we are trying to do as an organization is learn from them so we can help others who want to do the same work but with fewer hiccups,” French said.
Through these collaborative efforts with the NRCS and other agricultural organizations, City Sprouts continues to play a pivotal role in advancing urban agriculture, soil health, and conservation education in Omaha, thereby strengthening the community’s resilience and commitment to sustainable living.
“Our niche is translating larger concepts that production-scale farms use to the urban grower,” said French. “We just extended our collaborative agreement with the NRCS for two more years, and we’re excited to take this to the next level.”
