UMÓⁿHOⁿ Nation gardens, outdoor classroom on display for Nebraska officials

By Rhea Landholm on
High school students and female teacher in garden hat greeting Nebraska governor in a garden
Small Towns
Farm and Food

In Macy, Nebraska, fresh produce is abundant. Especially in a 7-acre garden next to the school football field.

In a joint effort among the UMÓⁿHOⁿ (Omaha) Nation Public School, the Jobs for American Graduates (JAG), Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Center for Rural Affairs, students are learning how to grow fresh produce and, at the same time, are providing healthy food options for their community.

On Friday, July 23, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Labor Commissioner John Albin visited the garden to check out that fresh produce and to chat with the students who grew it.

Click on the photos to take the tour.

High school students and teacher in a garden hat greeting Nebraska governor in a garden
Three men and a woman pointing at plants in a garden
Female high school students greeting Nebraska governor in a garden
A group of people walking through a 7-acre garden
Two men looking at a high school student who placed a hat on a scarecrow
Two men looking at a corn plot, one man pointing
A group of people looking at a ceremonial fire pit area, round with pavers and red woodchips inside
Two women, one pointing, and a man looking at a sign, standing in a garden
Two men and two women standing in a garden, one man tasting a plant

Photo 1: Gov. Ricketts greets students and Delberta Frazier, outdoor classroom teacher, upon arrival to the garden.

Photo 2: Suzi French (right), community food associate for the Center for Rural Affairs, explains the process of the garden and what vegetables are grown. Also pictured are Ricardo Ariza, JAG specialist for UMÓⁿHOⁿ Nation Public School; Gov. Ricketts; and Rich Valentino.

Photo 3: Gov. Ricketts speaks with even more students and UMÓⁿHOⁿ Nation Public Schools Superintendent Stacie Hardy.

Photo 4: Visitors check out the 7-acre garden in Macy, Nebraska.

Photo 5: One student shares stories about growing cabbage, and talks about his scarecrow.

Photo 6: Ricardo points out the corn patch to Gov. Ricketts, and talks about the new well, which was drilled this year to source water to the garden.

Photo 7: In a second outdoor learning space near the school, Delberta and Brenda Murphy, outdoor learning teacher, tell Gov. Ricketts about a place where students can learn about Tribal culture and conduct ceremonies.

Photo 8: Brenda and Delberta show Gov. Ricketts the four-seasons garden.

Photo 9: Gov. Ricketts (third from left) tries anise mint, while Ricardo, Brenda, and Delberta tell him about the different types of mint in the garden and about other herbs and flowers they have planted.