The White Deer Lodge Community Garden has been open since Spring 2019. The White Deer Lodge sits between Willits and Ukiah on the highest point on Highway 101. The Lodge is a previously foreclosed upon and abandoned motel that since 2016 operates as a short-term evacuation center during fires. In the long run, the people at The White Deer Lodge who will enjoy the garden include leaders in our local food movement, farmers and survivors of the October 2017 California Wildfires. This space is more than six miles away from the nearest grocery store, making it a food desert and thus an ideal place for NCO’s Gardens Project’s 55^th community garden.

This garden is accessible for low-mobility gardeners of all skill levels to accommodate all future gardeners. A shared garden on the property not only bolsters a sense of community, but it also supports food security which is invaluable in the event of an emergency. The garden has 6 4’x10’ raised beds, a small greenhouse, 3 in-ground beds, a tool shed, and a water catchment system for the future year-round residents and the averaging 28 evacuees per year staying at The Lodge.