 Welcome 2019! As the snow piles up outside we are busy planning for an exciting new year for our Network and the 500+ shared garden spaces we support. Here are a few things to look forward to…
Day in the Dirt – A community garden fundraising event and work day to kick off the growing season for more than 30 food growing spaces across Vermont, will have enhanced outreach, participation and impact with our new online platform for event registrations and fundraising. Save the date – Saturday, April 27, and stay tuned for details on submitting your garden project or joining the event.
Grow It! Returns – After a year’s hiatus, VCGN’s Grow It! program is back to provide community-based garden groups the opportunity to gather, swap ideas and build skills to support their work. Workshops will take place this spring at locations around the state. Dates and locations to be announced by early March. New to Grow It!? Learn more about our program here!
New Thriving Gardens Grant Program – Starting January 21st, we will accept proposals from existing and newly forming garden groups for projects that support the growth of thriving gardens. Support will be available in the form of small grants, training, and planning assistance. Click here for more information on this new grant program.
 Save the Date!
Benefit Bake at American Flatbread Burlington
Join us on Tuesday, January 29th from 5-11pm for a Benefit Bake at American Flatbread in Burlington! American Flatbread has generously offered to donate a portion of their dinner sales to VCGN (eat-in and take-out). We can’t wait to connect with you, our fellow garden friends and neighbors, over pizza and get excited for the upcoming growing season!
Let us know you’re coming and RSVP on our Facebook Event!
 We are thrilled to open registration for the 2019 Community Teaching Garden Courses! This growing season we are running a beginner course for new or relatively new gardeners who are interested in learning how to tend to an individual garden bed as well as an advanced course for individuals with more gardening experience and an interest in collectively managing a mini market garden. Both courses follow the rhythm of the growing season through weekly lessons and hands-on garden work.
Course details, FAQs, online registration, payment plans,
discounts and scholarship information are available here!
Garden Spotlight
Good Food Good Medicine: Reaping Garden Benefits Year-Round
By Libby Weiland, Statewide Network Coordinator &
Joann Darling, Good Food Good Medicine
Joann Darling is a Food Justice educator for the Barre-based group, Good Food Good Medicine. Good Food Good Medicine is a grassroots food justice program that provides adult and children’s community food and gardening education free of charge to residents at two affordable housing sites in Barre, Vermont. In this Garden Spotlight, Joann talks about the year-round nature of the program, which adapted to resident requests for consistent and continual wellness support. Read our interview with Joann at: http://vcgn.org/good-food-good-medicine/.
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Submit an Event to our Calendar
Get the network involved by submitting your next event directly to our
submission page (submit garden related events at least 2 weeks in advance)
Fund your Garden
Need funding for next season’s garden projects? Now’s the time to keep your eye out for grants – Go to VCGN’s Garden Grants page for a regularly updated list. Here are some, visit our website for details, links and rolling deadline grants.
Grants for Youth & School Programs
Grants for Community Garden Projects
Connect with other Garden Leaders
Our closed Facebook group serves as a forum for your garden management questions, and as a place to post and request resources: Join the group!
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Grow With Us!
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Since 2001, the Vermont Community Garden Network has worked with hundreds of community and school groups to start, sustain, and grow gardens, building strong local food systems and vibrant educational sites.
Contact us – we’d love to hear from you! Michelle Gates, Executive Director Libby Weiland, Statewide Network Coordinator
Trish Laraja, Business Manager
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802-861-4769 | info@vcgn.org | www.vcgn.org
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