Bobby’s Garden groundbreaking at Mansfeld Middle School will mark a new chapter for Tucson’s school garden movement. The University of Arizona School Garden Workshop and community partners will host the event Tuesday, Dec. 16.
In 2009, Sallie Marston, a political geographer and social theorist, and Regents Professor Emerita in the School of Geography, Development and Environment, teamed with a small group of UA interns to support a school garden program. They partnered with a Project MORE class and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. They did not expect the effort to grow into one of the top school garden programs in the United States. Today, the network spans 70 school gardens throughout the Tucson Unified School District, including many in underserved neighborhoods. Over the years, the program has reached thousands of students and teachers.
The ceremony starts at 11:15 a.m. at Mansfeld Middle School at 1300 E. Sixth St. Organizers will celebrate the late Robert “Bobby” Gentry and the students who will grow the site.
Bobby’s Garden Groundbreaking at Mansfeld Middle School
Bobby’s Garden will sit beside the Sprouts House Culinary Bungalows near Mountain Avenue, just west of Mansfeld. Organizers plan a space that supports garden-to-table learning and student leadership.
The program connects PK-12 students with Tucson’s agricultural legacy through school gardens. Students plant, maintain, and learn through hands-on STEAM learning labs.
“School gardens awaken joy and wonderment in our young learners and are a place where people from across the community can connect with each other, the natural world and our deep regional food heritage,” director Moses Thompson said.
What to Expect on Dec. 16
Organizers will break ground and begin initial planting during the event. Donors plan contributions that include agaves, indigenous plants, and chile pepper plants.
Students will later oversee weekly produce sales once the garden reaches full production. The site will also include 12 hens, with an auction for naming rights.
Why This Matters to Tucson’s Food Community
The UA School Garden Workshop started in 2009 and grew across Tucson Unified School District campuses. The program now supports a network of school gardens across the district.
School gardens connect students to ecology, sustainability, culture, and nutrition. They also build confidence through tasting, growing, and sharing local food.
For more background, read Tucson Foodie’s coverage of the UA program and Sprouts House.
Organizers plan remarks and community participation from Tucson culinary leaders. Janos Wilder will emcee, with Ryan Clark, Gary Hickey, Devon Sanner and other chefs joining planting.
Notes From Norma and Matt Gentry
On a personal note from Norma Gentry:
In January of 2024, with the loss of my dear husband Robert “Bobby” Gentry, my stepson Matt and I and his many friends wanted to do something that would honor his memory. As a master gardener, talented home chef and everyone’s favorite “Grandpa,” we decided to see if there would be an opportunity to create a small school garden in his name. After talking with longtime UA School Garden Workshop supporters Carlotta and Ray Flores, they suggested we meet with Moses to see if he had any ideas. Lucky for us, a new larger venue was in the planning stages at Mansfeld Middle School that would be a feeder school for garden students in TUSD elementary schools. The plan was for the two historic bungalows, a sizable garden, greenhouse and chicken coop to take over a large portion of the space located just west of Mansfeld off of Mountain Avenue. Since then, we have raised over $25,000 In donations from Bobby’s many friends here and around the country in support of the garden.
Bobby’s Garden will be dedicated with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, December 16th at 11:15am. Many of Tucson’s chefs that I have worked with over the years are very excited about working with the kids in the program as the garden grows, sharing their love of cooking and helping to create the “foodies” of the future. As a dear friend and representative of the Tucson City of Gastronomy, Janos Wilder will emcee the event, Chefs Ryan Clark, Gary Hickey, Devon Sanner and others will be in attendance to participate in planting, meeting with the school culinary staff, etc. This is just the beginning of what we see as a living legacy that will benefit the whole community over the years. I hope that Tucson Media will give this project the attention it deserves – not just for Bobby’s Garden, but for the many years the UA School Garden Workshop has given much to the kids who are lucky enough to be part of the program.
A Note from Matt Gentry:
Bobby’s Garden is the perfect tribute to my dad because it reflects exactly how he lived his life… planting, growing, harvesting and sharing. Gardening was his love language, and it’s how he taught me and so many others what it means to give. For my dad, this isn’t just a garden… it’s single-handedly the greatest tribute we could ever do to honor the way he lived and loved.
For additional information on the UA School Garden Workshop visit:
https://schoolgardens.arizona.edu
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