Peoria Tribe breaks ground on new greenhouse

OTTAWA COUNTY, Okla. (KOAM) -- The Peoria Tribe held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 35,000-square-foot greenhouse, with construction set for this fall.

This project has been in the making for quite some time and aims to support food sovereignty and address food insecurity in the area.

"This feels like something I've been working for, the culmination of my education and my work experience to be able to do this," said Sam Doty, greenhouse manager. The facility will cultivate a variety of crops, including lettuce, bell peppers, strawberries, and more", said Sam Doty Greenhouse Manager.

One of the driving forces behind the creation of the greenhouse is food sovereignty for the tribe.

"This greenhouse will be providing for the child care programs, the elder care programs. We have a food distribution center, a network that we're currently building, as well as all of our food enterprises, restaurants, and the casino that the tribe owns," said Doty.

The tribe also plans to tackle food insecurity throughout Ottawa County.

"Ottawa County, by a lot of USDA government standards, is a food desert to begin with. So to be able to have high-quality food in an area that needs it the most, it just means everything to me," said Erin Barnes, the Director of Natural Resources.

The greenhouse is expected to create more job opportunities for the tribal community.

"We're hoping to educate community members and train people to work with us and either work for us or find jobs, you know, in and out of the community in the horticulture greenhouse," said Doty.

Erin Barnes says there is also an educational aspect of the project.

"We're going to have the opportunity to bring apprentices in and teach people how to work in greenhouses. We'll have the ability to teach people how to plant and harvest their own food" said Barnes.

One of the goals of the greenhouse is to provide the community with locally grown, nutrient rich foods.

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