Schedule for Summer Garden programs and Adopt-a-Garden

Posted on June 5, 2016 by Hillary Ann

We’re coming up on the final week of Spring programs in School Gardens, which also means that Summer Garden programs will be starting soon.

We are also in need of families to adopt gardens for a week this summer. Adopting a garden means that you help take care of it for a week (or more!) – watering every few days (depending on the temperature), and harvesting what is ripe and ready to be picked. Gardening expertise or experience is not necessary! Once you have signed up we will review watering and harvesting with you before your scheduled week arrives.

There are so many different opportunities to volunteer or participate this summer – see the schedule below and contact info@LCschoolgardens.org if you still need more information. All garden activities and programs are FREE.

School Garden Summer Schedule 2016 can be downloaded here.

School Garden Plant Sale is coming soon – Saturday May 7th

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Hillary Ann

On your marks…get set…garden!

The School Garden Plant Sale is happening on Saturday, May 7th from 9 am to 1 pm.
There will be many kid-grown plants to choose from – Veggies, Herbs, Flowers, Perennials – as well as natives, edibles and ornamental plants from our friends at Watershed Garden Works!

It’s going to be a great time at the Northlake Elementary Garden at 2210 Olympia Way in Longview to benefit School Gardens and help us continue to connect kids and families with real food and hands-on learning. Join us for live music, tours of the garden and orchard, and meet garden rabbits Sam and Sorrel.

Training for School Garden Volunteers 2/19 & 2/20 – Register Now!

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Hillary Ann

“Ultimately, it is our volunteers who make it possible for students to experience the garden in a meaningful way.”

Whether you are already helping in a school garden, or just thinking about getting your hands dirty, this FREE TRAINING EVENT is for you!

We hope you can attend one of these two (identical) sessions:

Friday February 19, 9:00 to noon
Saturday February 20, 9:00 to noon

Location:
Northlake Elementary
Garden Lab Rm 26 (2nd portable)
2210 Olympia Way
Longview, WA 98632

Learn simple, effective techniques for helping kids (and plants!) to grow. We will work in the classroom as well as out in the garden; there will be plenty of hands-on learning. Topics include:

Why school gardens?
Garden activities and lessons
Starting seeds indoors and out
Composting with kids
Cooking with kids
Garden safety
Group management
Inquiry Based Learning
School Garden Resources
and more!

Enjoy learning and connecting with great people who have a shared passion for kids, gardens, and good food. Snacks provided. Meet the new garden rabbits Sam and Sorrel.

This training is free! All are welcome.

To REGISTER: send an email to ian@lcschoolgardens.org, specify which day works best for you.

See you there – thank you!

October is for Harvest Festivals

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Hillary Ann

The month of October was chock full of fun and goodness in the world of School Gardens. Most months of the year we delight in bringing real food and hands-on learning to hundreds of students on a weekly basis, but do you know what makes October so special?…

Harvest Festivals!

School Garden Harvest Festivals only happen once a year and call for “all hands on deck” to make them work. That means all of our School Garden volunteers, PTO members, staff, AmeriCorps members, parents and many of our board members show up to help. This year, our biggest year yet, nine elementary schools were able to participate.

That means every student at those 9 schools:

made and drank fresh apple cider
ground corn into cornmeal and wheat berries into flour
ran the straw bale obstacle course
shucked fresh corn
ate roasted garden veggies and corn-on-the-cob
listened and danced to live music
learned more about real food

…all in their School Gardens.

Once again, none of these opportunities for our local students to experience real food and hands-on learning could happen without the support of so many people and businesses in this community. Thank you!

–

LCSG brings the School Garden spirit to Squirrel Fest

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Hillary Ann

Kids and adults alike enjoyed decorating the garden wigwam with their hand drawn fruits and vegetables. — Kids of all ages enjoyed decorating the garden wigwam with hand-drawn fruits and vegetables.

August usually means a break from classes for students, but it’s the time of year when School Gardens are in full swing with summer programs. Summer also provides many opportunities for us to participate in community events around our area and Squirrel Fest is one Longview event not to be missed. All proceeds from Squirrel Fest this year went to Cowlitz County Habitat for Humanity.

Students and school garden volunteers shape the dough for garden pizzas.

School Gardens had a fun set-up in the Kids’ Area at the event this year that included:

– Handing out free garden seeds

– Offering samples of right-out-of-the-oven delicious garden pizza

– Giving visitors a chance to decorate a garden wigwam with hand-drawn pictures of fruits and vegetables

Pizzas were topped with fresh garden ingredients and made by students and volunteers on-site.

–

Students and volunteers march in Longview Go Fourth Parade

Posted on August 2, 2015 by Hillary Ann

More than 40 kids and adults gathered early on the 4th of July to decorate the Garden trailers with colorful flowers, herbs and grasses picked fresh shortly beforehand. Once everyone arrived at their place in the parade line, more fresh flowers were used to assemble flower crowns for each person. Everyone looked like a sweet garden fairy! It was a lovely day marching together beneath the tall, shade-giving trees of Longview as the community gathered to celebrate. Seed packets were handed out (in lieu of candy) by students riding in brightly painted wheelbarrows, holding signs and flags that boldly declared “Eat Real Food”. You can be sure that the School Gardens had the most colorful float that day.

–