Home Gardens
Joy, food, community, health
Families in the Home Gardens program describe the benefits of gardening: “Having a garden has improved the diet of myself and everybody I’ve shared with. I waste less food, too, because I just pick what I want to eat, [click here to read more and see photos] when I want to eat it. I have fibromyalgia and arthritis, and gardening keeps me active so I don’t stay in better shape. My yard went from being an eyesore and having nothing much more than weeds and invasive species, to cultivated deliciousness and beauty.”
“It is a joy to watch the plants grow and to know that fresh high quality food is so readily accessible and cheap!(free!). Spending time in the garden helps me feel grounded and lifts my spirits. I love eating the food my garden produces.”
“My kids/grandkids help me plant and harvest the veggies, (still not much help tending, but were working on it!) It is really fun for the little ones 2 to 10 years old to pick and eat tomatoes right from the vine!!! And to help make salads. Also, we have a lot of herbs, so they are learning when I send them to pick basil, or thyme….they know what to pick, and what we use it for!”
Lettuce Grow
Lettuce Grow is very excited to announce that we have broken ground on the NW Reentry Center project. Currently we are doing soil test and prep work. We expect to be building the garden on March 20th with help from volunteers from Sonoma State University.
Lettuce Grow helped the Oregon Department of Corrections to grow 252, 338 lbs of food for use in their own kitchens in 2017! An additional 36,000 lbs of food was donated to food banks across the state
Youth Grow
Check out this video about the importance of eating healthy from a young age! It features some of our amazing students at Cherry Park Elementary, as well as new Youth Grow Educator/Program Coordinator and FoodCorps alum, Amoreena Guerrero leading the group of very excited 5th graders alongside with Trail Blazer rookie Caleb Swanigan, and Retired NBA player Jerry Stackhouse. The group explores the six plant parts through games, tastings and gardening.
After being approached by our partner FoodCorps to help coordinate the filming, Amoreena teamed up with fellow FoodCorps Alum, Jess Polledri, who is now Cherry Park’s school counselor to bring the basketball stars to the school to work with the students! It was a day to remember!
Garden Education Professional Learning Community For Teachers
Youth Grow’s Professional Learning Community for garden based education is almost full! Only 1 spot remains! Sign up quickly, final day to register is 1/5/2018. The PLC meets 4 Wednesday evenings from January-May. Participants will come away having planted and piloted a way to incorporate garden-based learning that meets their students learning needs and interests. Perks include joining a garden-based learning network, dinner each evening that the group meets, low-cost graduate credit option and after successful course completion a $100.00 gift toward garden-based learning supplies for your class.
Learn more and sign up by visiting: https://new.growing-gardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Growing-Education-PLC-2017-1.pdf
Give Guide!
Growing Gardens is very excited to be a part of the 2017 Willamette Week Give Guide. Stay tuned about big give days, prizes and more!
As a part of the 2017 Give Guide, Willamette Week has a goal of incorporating more donors 35&Under. To help reach this goal, nonprofits are being offered prizes for getting the most donors in the 35&Under age group for each category! First, second and third place all receive cash prizes! Currently Growing Gardens is in third place, but it is a close race so we need your help to solidify our standing! When you donate to Growing Gardens through the Give Guide, be sure to check the 35&Under box!