PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (April 28, 2020) – A new series from Prairie View A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Human Sciences recently hit the web. The goal? To educate the community at large on how to grow food at home.
Jeremy Peaches ’15, a Harris County 4-H Extension Agent, who works as a community liaison to conduct educational programs for youth, families, and volunteers, hosted the three-part online food security series on growing food in small urban spaces. Viewers tuned in March 26-April 16 to the live demonstrations and Q&A sessions via PVAMU Harris County 4-H’s Facebook page.
“A high percentage of 4-H in Harris County will be affected by the COVID-19 disaster, including many of whom reside in food deserts or have low accessibility issues,” Peaches said. “We want to ensure families are educated on food security, and essentially, anyone who eats food.”
Topics Peaches have covered so far include growing vegetables in old bottles, growing using hydroponics (which is a form of gardening that uses no soil, but instead grows plants in a solution of water and nutrients), and growing using vertical towers (a system that grows plants vertically instead of horizontally). He also showed viewers how to plant seeds and transplant them. His next topics in May include how to save seeds, grow plants using aquaponics (growing fish and plants together in one integrated system), and grow potatoes, which is fairly easy to do.
“[This series is important because] agriculture, shelter, and water are the bases for human civilization — if we do not know how to produce our own food in the case of an emergency, we will be dependent upon someone,” he said.
Peaches also noted that food prices are going up, and the youth of this generation need to prepare to become producers, as the average American farmer and rancher is getting up in age.
Jeremy Peaches
“Increasing the number of youth and families in the Agriculture sector can also increase involvement with PVAMU CAHS,” he said. “We have a huge opportunity within the college to produce some of the best produce, programs, communities, and research in the world.”
Extension agents, like Peaches, are employed by land-grant universities to help citizens on topics relating to economics, community development, agriculture, family, animal production, diet, and nutrition.
“We are the boots on the ground in communities,” Peaches said. “As a PVAMU CAHS alum, farmer, and extension agent, I am not only proud of the history we have, but also the platform we are going to create for the next generation of leaders. As such, support your local 4-H clubs.”
Peaches plans to host his next set of how-to videos May 11-15. Visit the PVAMU Harris County 4-H Facebook page for more information.
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By Emilia Benton and Marchita Shilo