(upbeat music) - Wasatch Community Gardens helps empower people in the community to grow and eat healthy, organic local food.

And here to tell us more about the organization and the upcoming spring plant sales, is James Loomis.

Hi, James.

Thanks so much for being here.

You've got a major spring plant sale coming, so I want you to tell us all about all the varieties you've got and what people can find there.

- Yeah.

So this time of year, my life is all spring plant sale.

We have 213 varieties of vegetables, including 48 varieties of peppers and 76 varieties of tomatoes, all of which are certified organic and grown here in the city at our Wasatch Community Gardens' Green Phoenix Farm.

- [Mary] Yeah.

Okay, so tell me about the Green Phoenix Farm, 'cause it's a great idea.

- Yeah, so we are located just west of The Gateway in downtown Salt Lake City, so as urban as an urban farm gets.

And we provide employment and mentorship for women experiencing homelessness.

- [Mary] That is so great.

And I guess that ties into your farm-based job training program.

Talk more about that.

- Yeah, so all of these seedlings that are grown are grown by our team, we call "The Green team," which, again, are women who are participating in our job training program.

The farm provides a safe, beautiful place for them to just, you know, rediscover their sense of personal power and kind of get back out into the world.

- And it's such a great service you're offering.

And what about all the food they grow?

Where does it go?

- Yeah, so all of the food we grow at the farm is donated to low-income individuals and those who might lack access to that fresh, healthy, local food we're trying to get out into the community.

- [Mary] That's so great, because that is a problem for a lot of people, you know, just the availability of good food.

So, you're doing a lot.

- Well, thank you.

I especially have a soft spot for getting that produce in the bellies of kids.

- [Mary] All right.

Well thank you so much for being here, James.

- Thank you for having me.

- And if you'd like to know more about that upcoming plant sale of the Wasatch Community Gardens, it will be May 13th, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Rowland Hall Campus on 720 Guardsman Way.

Just go to WasatchGardens.org.

WasatchGardens.org.

I'm Mary Dickson.

Thanks for watching "Contact."

(upbeat music) - Local events, arts, culture.

It's what brings us together.

Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

Here on Contact, we introduce you to local events and organizations that serve your neighborhood.

If you work for a nonprofit and would like to appear on our show, please visit pbsutah.org/contact.