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.

Spring Garden Programs begin week of March 7

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Hillary Ann

Spring Garden Programs begin the second week of March, which means weekly volunteer opportunities!
If you haven’t volunteered with us, please email info@lcschoolgardens.org to tell us particular times you’re available – weekly, monthly, or even annually – every hour makes a difference in the lives of kids and families in our community.

Print your own copy: School Gardens Spring 2016

Xerces Society Pollinator Habitat signs help make School Gardens a haven for pollinators

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Hillary Ann

Students show off yellow kale flowers favored by many pollinator species, in front of their school garden — Carrolls students show off yellow kale flowers favored by many pollinator species, in front of their School Garden.

Earlier this year, The Xerces Society of Portland generously donated Pollinator Habitat signs for all of our School Gardens. Posting these signs with students has started a number of profound conversations about the vital role that pollinators play in our gardens and our food supply.

A pollinator habitat sign proudly displayed in the Huntington School Garden.

For some students, these conversations have made them less fearful of insects that they thought were only made for stinging, and others have become more interested in paying attention to the small differences between various kinds of pollinators. The signs have also been a good reminder to simply be aware of the helpers in our gardens that are not always easy to see.

Not all bees are yellow and black - this species of sweat bee is a beautiful metallic green. Photo by Hillary Jensen. — Not all bees are simply yellow and black – this species of sweat bee is a beautiful metallic green. Photo by Hillary Jensen.

Students have helped to create a great deal of pollinator habitat in school gardens by planting many flowers and other plants crucial to their survival.

Thank you, Xerces Society!

To help protect an essential part of our environment, take the Pollinator Pledge and order a Pollinator Habitat sign for your own garden.

A "Thank You" for Xerces decorated by Carrolls students. — A “Thank You” for Xerces decorated by Carrolls students.

–

$250k Kaiser grant expands School Gardens for Longview and Kelso

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Hillary Ann

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 1, 2015

Kaiser Permanente Northwest Awards Grant to Cowlitz County Health Department
Cowlitz County Health Department’s (CCHD) Office of Healthy Communities received $250,000 over
the next three years to partner with Lower Columbia School Gardens and the Longview and Kelso
School Districts to increase fruit and vegetable consumption for school-age children. This collaborative
project will expand access to school garden activities and curricula for children and their families.

This grant will allow Lower Columbia School Gardens to expand their capacity to serve more children in
our county through their 14 school-based gardens, and to integrate their programs and activities more
fully into the school environment. Longview and Kelso School Districts will be able to fully utilize school
gardens as an educational and community resource.

“We are grateful to Kaiser Permanente for this opportunity to engage even more kids in our school
gardens. We know that school gardens work; kids are more likely to eat and enjoy fruit and vegetables
they grow themselves, and they get excited about healthy cooking and eating as they learn about
where real food comes from and how it’s grown. We see that reality in our work every day, and this
new partnership will allow us to share that experience with more children, teachers and families in our
community,” says Ian Thompson, Executive Director of Lower Columbia School Gardens.

Kaiser Permanente Northwest is dedicated to improving the health of individuals and the communities
they serve. Specifically, their work is focused on connecting low-income people to health care,
educating children and families about healthy eating and active living, creating and sharing
groundbreaking research, strengthening health safety nets in communities, and supporting their employees’ community engagement.

CCHD provides broad-spectrum public health services to Cowlitz County residents aimed at improving
and protecting the health and well-being of individuals of all ages. To contact the Health Department,
please call 360-414-5599.

CCHD Official Press Release

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!

–

Farmer Randy donates 700 pumpkins to School Gardens

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Hillary Ann

There were even-happier-than-usual kids in many Kelso and Longview School Gardens last week as After School Garden Clubs had the opportunity to carve locally-grown pumpkins. 700(!) pumpkins were donated by Woodland farmer Randy Behrendsen who was happy just to know they were going home with kids. Members of the LCSG board, LCSG staff and a slew of volunteers met in Woodland early on a Saturday to load pumpkins into trucks and deliver them back to school gardens in Longview and Kelso.

During the following week, kids in elementary and middle school gardens throughout the area got the chance to carve, decorate and take home their donated pumpkins. Students also enjoyed freshly roasted pumpkins seeds and made-from-scratch hot cocoa with their pumpkin carving.

–

Free volunteer training – Register Now!

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Ludger

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

Whether you are currently volunteering in a school garden or are just starting to think about getting your hands dirty… this free training (pdf) event is for you! Learn simple, effective techniques and strategies for helping kids (and plants!) thrive.

We hope you can attend one of these two (identical) 3-hour sessions:

Friday, February 20: 9:00-noon
Saturday February 21: 9:00-noon

Location:

Northlake Elementary
“Garden Lab” Room 26 (2nd portable)
2210 Olympia Way
Longview, WA 98632

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 (we have newly developed resources to share!)
Starting seeds indoors and outside
Composting with kids
Cooking with kids
Garden safety
Group management strategies
Inquiry Based Learning
School Garden Resources
The Garden Coordinator
And more!

Enjoy learning and connecting with great people who have a shared passion for kids, gardens and good food. Snacks provided. And yes, Steve the Rabbit will be there.

This training is free! All are welcome, even those outside Cowlitz County.
Register by simply replying to Ian.

Please specify which day works best for you.

Butler Acres Elementary School Garden is now online

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Ludger

Our newest garden is a place to be if you like to grow and learn! Many families brought their best worker bees to participate in the recent work party. We are transforming the hillside into an outdoor classroom suited for science, math and nutrition lessons and for promoting good stewardship of our planet Earth. Our accomplishments so far: building retaining walls to create flat spots and “rooms” within the larger footprint, stripping sod and spreading soil, installing drains, shoveling gravel and, most importantly…planting! Already in: herbs, peas, onions, lettuce, squash, blueberries, grapes, nasturtiums, and more to come.

For a task list and the garden calendar see the garden website. Contact Cathleen McNelly if you like to help or have any questions.

Beacon Hill Elementary School Garden is now online

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Ludger

In Fall 2012, first grade wanted to provide a hands-on experience that extended their science FOSS kits on plants beyond the classroom. Beacon Hill Elementary received support from the first grade teachers, first grade families, PTO, volunteers, and principal to construct four raised garden beds on the barren asphalt between two portables.

In November 2013, Ms. Clontz’s 29 first graders taught over 500 students at Beacon Hill the importance of composting and every grade is now composting after lunch!

For a task list and the garden calendar see the garden website. Contact Aspen Clontz if you like to help or have any questions.