NOVATO COMMUNITY GARDENS:
Would you like to see a network of community and neighborhood gardens
in Novato? If so, visit our community garden webpage to learn
more. We "almost" have a site. We have successfully drilled for
water on the site. And, we are planning our first fundraising
& outreach event, Thursday, February 25, 2010. from 7:00-9:00
PM (doors open at 6:45 PM) at the Novato Unified School District
Offices. It is titled, "Growing a Healthy Community From the
Ground Up!" To learn more, click
here.
THE SCHOOL GARDEN CONNECTION
Let a child plant a seed, water it, watch it grow and that child
will pick the vegetable or fruit and eat it! Children and gardens
mix well. The garden experience invites the child to touch, taste,
experience and expand. Children
exposed to the wonderful world of gardening
are also exposed to the wonderful tastes that the garden has
to offer. Often times this experience translates to a more
openness about eating new vegetables and foods, including those
served at the school lunch.
FOR SCHOOL GARDEN SUPPORT LINKS,
SCROLL DOWN TOWARDS
THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
AND CHECK ON THE LINKS ON THE RIGHT SIDE
APRIL 5: "Kids
in the Garden" Workshop: From the garden
to the classroom: Learn some garden basics (what to plant,
soil preparation, planting, watering, dealing with bugs) while
learning simple hands-on educational inside/outside garden
activities working with children. Learn how to adapt activities
to age level. Learn about free school garden resources. Handouts
will be provided.
The Instructor: Kirsten
Neff comes from a long line of gardeners and naturalists. She
has been a Gardening Teacher and Parent Volunteer Coordinator
at her children’s school, the Novato Charter School, for
the past eight years. She is also a writer whose blog about
the Indian Valley Organic Farm, environmental education, and
other related subjects can be found at www.IndianValleyOrganicFarm.Blogspot.com
When: Monday, April 5, 2010,
3:30-5:30 PM
Location: Novato Charter School, 936 C Street,
Novato
(Hamilton: Take Nave Drive to Main Gate Road, about 1/3 mile take
left on C Street.)
Fee: $15
See
Flyer for info & Registration.
SCHOOL COMPOST CLUB WORKSHOP HELD APRIL 25,
2009
We
celebrated Earth Day with earthworms! In this workshop we considered
ways to dispose of school lunchroom waste through recycling and
composting while learning how to increasing student/staff awareness
and participation in the classroom. The workshop was held at the Conservation
Corps North Bay - Bel Marin Keys Site. The cost would have normally been
$60 per person, but with a grant by a North Bay Corporation
grant we were only able to charge $30 per participant. In addition,
the Compost Club (www.CompostClub.org)
was able to acquire additional funding to build and donate 7
worm bins and worms valued at $150 each to each school that participated. This
event was sponsored by: Novato
Live Well Network and North Bay Corporation, and Hosted by Conservation
Corps North Bay.
In the Fall of 2009, we will continue to provide support and guidance
to participating schools and organizations. Stay tuned for more...!
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LUNCHROOM WASTE--THE
WORM STORY: It's
been one year since Lu Sutton Elementary School in Novato had a
Waste Audit. And, 6 months since the hungry worms came to the school.
Read about one mom's effort to save the world one-bite-at-a-time: The
revealing story with pictures!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COMPOST CLUB WORKSHOP : The
Compost Club leaders (www.compostclub.org)
taught us all about school lunchroom garbage:
the plastics, papers, leftovers, and uneaten food that ends up
in the trash. We learned how to start a recycling program --
because it's really not just about worms! And, of course, we
learned all about worms: what they like to eat, how they like
to live, and we even got to meet them in person! Did you know
worms laid eggs? We also learned about the various composting
systems and the challenges of finding the right one in a school
environment. And finally, we got to build worm bins to take back
to our schools and start a worm composting system to deal with
school lunchroom waste.
WORM FACTS:
1. Worms lay eggs. Each egg can contain 4-6 baby worms!
2. Worms really are vegans: have you ever found a cow or a chicken
underground? But, if you do feed worms meat and dairy, they will
eat it -- they don't know better. And, you may find more flies and
other critters that you really don't want to attract. Best to stick
to veggies and fruits!
3. Worms should not eat process food, like junk food. They also get
tummy aches and it's not good for them!
4. Worms don't like acidic food, do not feed them citrus foods --
and lay low on the tomatoes.
5. For more worm fun facts let Herman the worm teach you!
DID YOU KNOW?: Food scraps and other organic
material take up about half of all landfill space. They produce
methane gas, 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills
are considered the lead human source of methane emission, according
to the US EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program. Both Dr. Sally
Brown and the US Composting Council, state the removal of food
scraps from the landfills will lead to the highest value methane
avoidance credit for the waste management industry. For each ton
of wet food waste, there is nearly a one to one value associated
with the reduction of methane, or methane avoidance. Help us make
a better world for our children: let's compost school food waste
on site while "growing" worm casings to nurture our
gardens and landscapes!
The Compost Club was born at West Side School Elementary in Healdsburg,
California. The composting operation started in 2003. In their
first year, they created worm bins and diverted 900 lbs. from their
school lunch food waste, then they sold the worm compost at their
local farmers market and raised $900. For more info: www.compostclub.org.
LOCAL SCHOOL GARDENS -- THE LEADERS:
- Novato Charter School, Novato: www.novatocharterschool.org This
charter school also has a chicken coop and rabbits as well as
a composting and recycling program. Each classroom is assigned
a garden spot where projects are planned and implemented throughout
the year. This has included building wooden bench/compost bins,
an arbor, an adobe wood burning stove, tile art projects to beautify
the school grounds.
- Mary E. Silveira Elementary, San Rafael: www.marysilveira.org/
This public school not only has a school garden, but also a pond,
a chicken farm, and a school lunch recycling program that includes
worm bins and composting of leftover lunch.
- Edna Maguire Elementary, Mill Valley, www.ednamaguire.org
Another local school "gone green"! Visit their website
and hear their story via video. Truly inspiring!
(download as PDF
Document) CALIFORNIA SCHOOL GARDEN NETWORK (CSGN): www.csgn.org
The
California School Garden Network sprouted with the goal
of facilitating the connection between resource organizations and
educators by combining efforts to strengthen contributions and
avoid duplications. The Network's mission to create and sustain
California school gardens to enhance academic achievement, a healthy
lifestyle, environmental stewardship and community and social development.
The Network serves as a central organization to distribute school
garden resources and support throughout the state.
FREE HOW-TO MANUAL: CSGN has published a free
96 page resource manual: Gardens
for Learning: Creating and Sustaining Your School Garden. “This
is a comprehensive guidebook that provides a strong foundation
to support the growing school garden movement. It was developed
by a team of experienced garden educators, nutritionists, state
officials, and other garden experts. This guidebook is a must-have
resource for anyone looking to enhance learning through the
use of gardens in schools and other community settings.” Downloaded
this publication at www.csgn.org/page.php?id=34 (Sample
chapters: Cover & Introduction
and Intro
to School Gardens)
CSGN Funding info: Their “Grants and Fundraising” web
page provides a list of funding resources to help you get started: http://www.csgn.org/page.php?id=30.
You can also learn more about the California State Assembly Bill AB
1535 “The
Instructional School Garden Program” which has
allocated $15 million for the promotion, creation and support
of California instructional school gardens: http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r9/cisg06result.asp
HARVEST OF THE MONTH: www.harvestofthemonth.com
Harvest of the Month provides valuable nutrition education
resources to students, teachers, families, and communities throughout
California. This website provides a seasonal schedule (what to plant
and when), an online training corner, Spanish menu slicks and translations
of family newsletters. Type in a vegetable or fruit in their search
box and download a 4-page pdf with everything about the produce:
from history, nutrition content, how the produce grows, historical
facts and fun hands-on activities and recipes. This is a program
of the California Department of Public Health, Cancer Prevention
and Nutrition Section.
A GARDEN IN EVERY SCHOOL: California Dept. of Education www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/he/garden.asp Download
a free PDF of
A Child’s Garden of Standards:
Linking School Gardens to California Education Standards -- Grades
Two Through Six.
CENTER OF ECOLITERACY: www.ecoliteracy.org
The Center for Ecoliteracy is located in Berkeley California
and is dedicated to providing educational resources and funding for
sustainable living, which includes school kitchens and gardens.
Their programs include “Rethinking School Lunch” www.ecoliteracy.org/programs/rsl,
the “School Lunch Initiative” www.schoollunchinitiative.org
produced in collaboration with Alice Water's Chez Panisse Foundation.
The
whole system approach includes gardens and the environment. The Center
also provides a free school garden manual:
A Guide for Creating School Gardens as Outdoor
Classrooms that you can request
at www.ecoliteracy.org/publications.
Connecting the lunchroom to the school garden is vital
in helping children to make better nutritional choices both at
school and at home.
THE EDIBLE SCHOOL YARD: www.edibleschoolyard.org
Chez Panisse FoundationS' “The Edible Schoolyard”, in collaboration
with Martin Luther King Junior Middle School, provides urban public
school students with a one-acre organic garden and a kitchen classroom.
Using food systems as a unifying concept, students learn how to
grow, harvest, and prepare nutritious seasonal produce. Experiences
in the kitchen and garden foster a better understanding of how the
natural world sustains us, and promote the environmental and social
well being of our school community.
Check out their "How to Start a School Garden" to find additional
resources.
CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM: www.cfaict.org
Their mission is to increasing awareness and understanding of agriculture
among California's educators and students. What the
future holds for agriculture will determine the quality of life
for all…farmers and ranchers…suppliers…food processors…wholesalers… retailers…consumers.
The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom works
with K–12 teachers, and students to enhance education using agricultural
examples. We offer school children the knowledge to make informed
choices. Some students will choose agriculture as their life's
work. All students, as future voters, will make decisions about
agriculture. Go on line and request a free teacher's resource
guide.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COUNCIL OF MARIN: www.eecom.net
EECOM's Marin
Food Systems Project (MFSP) provides action guides for schools www.eecom.net/mfsp/guide to
serve as a resource to school groups seeking to make food and gardening
an integrated component of school education. EECOM also provides
a calendar of local events around sustainability and food issues.
MARIN MASTER GARDENERS: cemarin.ucdavis.edu/Master_Gardener Marin
Master Gardeners has a new program to help schools start and maintain
a school garden: “Marin County Master Gardeners School Garden Consultants”.
These consultants volunteer in schools that request help with starting
or improving their school gardens. The Master Gardeners provide
information, advice, problem solving expertise and resources for
school personnel, students and volunteers involved with the school
garden.For more information: School
Garden Consultants.
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