North Dakota Department of Agriculture
BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has awarded grants totaling more than $71,000 for five large-project orchard and garden grants.
“The North Dakota Community Orchard Project provides educational opportunities and fosters community spirit by bringing people together to plant and tend these orchards and gardens,” said Goehring. “The fruits and vegetables produced will benefit communities, schools and those in need.”
The grants were awarded to:
- Dakota College at Bottineau: $19,495 to provide an orchard to utilize as hands-on learning for horticulture classes and other students
- City of Garrison: $20,000 to provide an orchard to educate ag and FFA students
- Tuttle Rural Innovation Center: $17,630 to provide an orchard to use for education for schools and the community and to provide fruit for senior meals and community members.
- Williams County School District: $5,205 to provide an orchard to be utilized for education for FFA and 4-H groups and to provide fruit for school meals and those in need.
- City of Hazen: $8,802 to provide an orchard to be used as an outdoor classroom for the middle and high school and to provide fruit for the school and senior citizens.
Goehring said grant funds can be used for plants, trees, planting supplies, soil amendments, irrigation and fencing supplies. Grant funds cannot be used to purchase land, permanent structures or for capital expenditures.