YouthWorks Ranch
is a twenty-acre agricultural non-profit in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that provides an after-school program and summer camp where primarily Black and Native American children and teens learn how to transform their North Tulsa community’s health by growing food and cooking with fresh produce. It received a $5,000 grant to purchase culturally relevant seeds, hand tools, a drip irrigation system, soil amendments, and a post-harvest wash station for the teaching garden.
“The most significant improvement came from the new irrigation system, which replaced inefficient hand-watering. The system provides consistent watering, preventing issues like powdery mildew, wilting, and soil overheating during hot summers. The result has been healthier plants, including a bumper crop of uniform cucumbers and tomatoes that thrived without cracking, even in the hottest conditions. These improvements have created a thriving, high-yielding garden, empowering youth to learn about sustainable agriculture while supporting their community’s health,” said Chris Beach, co-founder.
