The Future Farms Youth Club of Sardis celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the community tunnel house over the weekend.

The Tunnel House, a semi-circular structure constructed of steel and covered in polyurethane, will be used by the Future Farms Youth Club to grow organic vegetables that the youngsters will be able to sell at their very own farmer’s market.

The tunnel house was made possible by a donation from Tuskegee University.

“I believe in our youth knowing where our vegetables and our produce comes from,” said Tuskegee University Master Agent Gertrude Wall. “When we had the opportunity to actually donate a high tunnel growing facility for them, we jumped on it.”

Tuskegee University professors Victor Kahan and James Currington worked with students over the summer to learn how to grow collards, turnips and mustard greens using a drip irrigation system, which waters the plants directly at the roots and minimizes water waste.

Dallas County Commissioner Valerie Reubin was invited by the Future Farms Youth Club to cut the ribbon at the ceremony.

Reubin said she was excited about the new developments going on in her district, particularly for the youth.

“I’m really happy for these children,” she said. “They’ll be able to learn how to farm and understand the value of a dollar.”

Reubin said she hopes this tunnel house is just the beginning.

She said she’d love to see more houses built in Sardis and even hopes the idea spreads to other areas in the county.