Village Institute for Sustainable Technologies & Agriculture

Our longtime member Jay Gibson has curated four lists of resources for the young gardeners in your life. Here, you'll find books and websites that will intrigue and educate our next generation of food-growers. Thank you Jay for introducing us to these excellent resources!

Did you know VISTA’s water network includes over 100 valves? In fact, water passes through five different valves before it reaches your garden bed! Our garden uses 1,000–2,000 gallons of water per day, compared with the average U.S. household’s 300 gallons. Thankfully, our solar-powered well and distribution system has already paid for itself many times over.

VISTA Gardens is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with a set of official Bylaws that spell out when we have meetings, how our Directors are appointed, and what the various Committee functions are.

Congratulations to VISTA members for their participation in the recent food drive, organized by Ken and Vicki Kuse. We donated 214 pounds of food and other important items to the Food Pantry at the Village Presbyterian Church. Our hearts are warmed by our members' generosity and spirit, and by the Kuses' thoughtfulness in arranging this event. Here is Ken delivering the donations! 

VISTA was honored last week to be the first speaker to be invited to address the Sickles HS National Honor Society monthly membership meeting. We are proud and grateful to be one of their favorite places to volunteer.

The irrigation system is a vital part of our community garden and we are grateful to the Infrastructure Committee that ensures our plants receive consistent and efficient watering. The system is made up of a network of pipes, valves, and connectors—commonly known as fittings—that work together to deliver water where it’s needed. Most of our irrigation components, including both pipes and fittings, are made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a durable plastic material widely used