November marks the first snow fall and putting the gardens to bed. It’s also the time to reflect on the growing season. Check out this month’s Toolshed Tipfor ideas on how to summarize the season’s highlights, share the stories from your community or school garden, and to begin planning for next year.
It’s also a time to celebrate the amazing impact of community and school gardens – and other grassroots projects – around the region! Join us this Saturday for a special concert to honor the work of the New England Grassroots Environment Fund. You can log in to the live-stream of the concert from your computer, or join one of the fun viewing parties at sites all over Vermont.
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Garden Grants Available Now for VT Community and School Gardens
Start planning your 2015 garden today! The New England Grassroots Environment Fund in partnership with the Vermont Community Garden Network is offering grants of $250-$1,000 for garden projects.
Any volunteer-driven community or school group is eligible to apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with decisions within four weeks of application date. VCGN partner gardens that apply before Dec. 1 will get special attention, so be sure to mention VCGN in your application.
Seed grants are intended to help groups launch new or recently evolving garden projects. The funds may be used for materials, outreach and/or other project expenses.
For more information and an online application, go to https://grassrootsfund.org/dollars or call Ginny at(802) 223-4622.
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And here’s another upcoming grant opportunity from our friends at Kitchen Gardeners International:
“Sow it Forward” Grant – KGI is offering 160 grants of $500 or $325 to organizations interested in expanding or starting a community garden. Deadline January 9, 2015. More info.
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Barre’s Metro Way Community Garden Says Goodbye to Downtown Location
The Metro Way Community Garden gave up its downtown Barre location after six years. The space behind Merchant Row was lent to the Metro Way Garden by City Mayor Thom Lauzon for use in 2009 on the stipulation that if the local business expanded significantly, the vacant lot would be turned into a parking lot to allow for more visitors. The time has come where parking will be needed soon, and even though there is no timeline of when the lot will be constructed, this was the last season for the garden in that location.
More than three-quarters of the garden was dismantled on Oct. 18 with the help of garden members and volunteers from around the state. “Everyone had something to offer and showed up with a meaningful contribution. There was space for every emotion and idea. We worked, rested, played and celebrated. It was intense!” said co-founder Sandra Lory.
Continue reading…
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 Join the New England Grassroots Environment Fund, Vermont Community Garden Network, and others to celebrate the power of grassroots activism with a special concert on Saturday, Nov. 15 – live-streamed directly to your computer, tablet, or phone!
Seeds & Songs of Change celebrates and showcases the power of New England’s environmental grassroots movements with performance by Tem Blessed (Millennial spoken word/song writer from Boston) and folk icon Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter Paul and Mary).
Hosted by Steve Curwood of NPR’s Living on Earth, the evening highlights exciting community projects across New England, honors the work of outgoing New England Grassroots Environment Fund Executive Director Cheryl King Fischer, and welcomes new director Julia Betjemann Dundorf. Sign up for the concert here.
Chittenden County garden groups are invited to join a special viewing party at Burlington Co-Housing, 180 East Avenue in Burlington, co-hosted by VCGN. Join us for a potluck dinner at 6pm and for the show from 7-8:30pm. All welcome. Bring a dish to share. Call (802) 861-4769 for more info.
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The Toolshed: Tips for Garden Leaders
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Your November Tip: While it’s still fresh on your mind, take the time to pull together reflections on the garden season and ideas for the future. A season wrap-up report will provide you with record of what happened in your garden, fodder for funders and other supporters, ready-to-go promotional content, and a list of next steps for planning this winter.
- Document what happened.
- Share how it went; its impact.
- Determine priorities for next year.
Click here for the full Toolshed Tip.
Congratulations for a great garden season!
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New Farms for New Americans: Bringing Cultures Together in a Community Garden
The New Farms for New Americans (NFNA) project is one of Association for Africans Living in Vermont’s (AALV) workforce development programs, focusing on connecting the agricultural experience and knowledge of refugees and immigrants with opportunities here in Vermont. Since its founding, AALV has expanded to provide services to all refugee and immigrant groups by focusing on helping New Americans connect with their new homes while maintaining their culture. Gardens play a significant role in this work.
Continue reading…
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Since 2001, the Vermont Community Garden Network (formerly known as Friends of Burlington Gardens) has worked with community and school groups to start, sustain and grow gardens, building strong local food systems and vibrant educational sites.
The monthly VCGN Newsletter provides garden-based news, resources, and events to more than 2,000 gardens and garden leaders all over the state.
We welcome your comments and suggestions. Send your garden news and events to info@vcgn.org. For even more current information and updates, connect to VCGN and other gardens on Facebook and Twitter.
We’d love to hear from you!
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Doug Flack: “Grass Farming and Human Health” – Nov 14, 6:30pm. Sterling College, Craftsbury.More info.
Seminar: Temporal Dynamics in Soil Microbial Communities– Nov 21, 1:30pm. University of Vermont, Burlington. More info.
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Sustainable Leadership: Herbal Support for Grounded Action
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Register for 2015 Extension Master Gardener Course
This non-credit course covers the basics of home horticulture and what it means to be a Extension Master Gardener. The instructors are comprised of UVM faculty and Vermont horticulture professionals.
Course topics include:
- Botany Basics
- Entomology
- Plant Diseases
- Food Production
- Soil Fertility
- Perennials and Annuals
- Sustainable Landscaping
- Rain Gardens
- Turf and Weeds
- Invasive Plant & Pest Control
- UVM Extension Volunteering.
Register here.
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