Summertime in School Gardens is full of opportunities to help – from weeding, watering, and harvesting, to helping out at the Northlake Produce Sale on Wednesdays. Get in touch with us if you’re interested in being part of the fun!
Looking forward to 2018 Spring Garden Programs!
We can’t wait for Spring to arrive – to see new green growth emerging in the gardens, reconnect with students in their outdoor classrooms, and work alongside our amazing team of volunteers.
Our Spring Garden Season is going to look a little different this year – it is split into two 5-week sessions, with a week-long break in between:
- Session One: March 19 – April 27 (Spring Break also falls within this first session)
- Garden Break: April 30 – May 4
- Session Two: May 7 – June 8
As you may already know, one day a week schools have After School Garden Clubs and/or School Day Garden Programs (during recess or scheduled class time).
In general, here’s the plan for the Spring Season:
- After School Garden Clubs that are facilitated primarily by LCSG staff will take place during ONE of the 5-week sessions.
- School Day Garden Programs will take place during BOTH 5-week sessions.
And yet one more way to say it: After School Garden Clubs are 5 weeks long, and School Day Garden Programs are 10 weeks long. There are some exceptions to this model, mostly involving schools where volunteer or teacher garden coordinators have stepped up and are facilitating garden programs without regular assistance from LCSG staff.
Take a look at the Spring Schedule below…
We are humbled and grateful for the ongoing support of this community. Our small staff is continually “building the plane as we are flying it”- always learning how to better distribute our time and resources more equitably in order to reach kids at all 18 School Gardens in Longview and Kelso. Your feedback and patience is appreciated and helpful as we make changes and try new things.
The School Gardens in this community are a result of many people saying, “yes!” to spaces for our kids to learn about real food, the natural world, and to practice being healthy, kind humans.
Please stay tuned for information specific to your students’ School Garden as the season approaches.
Special Evening Produce Sale this Wednesday from 5 to 7
School Garden Produce Sales have been taking place Wednesdays from 10 to 1 in the Northlake Elementary School Garden all summer long, with students proudly selling the gorgeous produce they’ve grown and tended.
This Wednesday we’re breaking a bit with tradition and hosting a special Evening Produce Sale as a last hurrah before we begin Fall Garden Programs. There are still so many beautiful fruits and vegetables to be tasted and savored before the season ends.
We hope you’ll stop by for this special event.
School Garden Produce Sale: Special Evening Edition
Wednesday, Sept 6th, 5:00 to 7:00
Northlake School Garden
2210 Olympia Way
FREE Volunteer Training with School Gardens – Sept 8th & 9th, 2017
The first Volunteer Training of the new school year is coming up very soon!
School Gardens staff members are looking forward to meeting new
friends, as well as welcoming back familiar ones.
Two identical sessions are offered:
– Friday, September 8th, 9:00 to noon –
OR
– Saturday, September 9th, 9:00 to noon –
Register by sending an email to ian@LCschoolgardens.org and
specifying which day you plan to attend.
2017 Fall Fundraiser
School Gardens could not exist without supporters like you! Please join us for our Fall Fundraiser on Saturday, November 11th and help these gardens grow!
All proceeds from this event will support the work of Lower Columbia School Gardens, a local nonprofit connecting kids and families with real food and hands on learning in school gardens.
We have
- Live Music
- Apple Cider Press
- Local Beer, Wine and Kombucha
- Seasonal Food Featuring School Gardens Produce
at:
Bowers Building
1338 Commerce in Longview
6:00pm-9:00pm
Produce Sale every Wednesday all Summer
Each week produce is harvested from all gardens for Wednesday sales at Northlake.
Student farmers are eager to sell you their berries, tomatoes, peas, greens, herbs, and cut flowers; as the summer progresses we’ll have peppers, figs, grapes, squash, cucumbers, plums, and more.
Low prices – Beautiful produce – Top-notch customer service
Starts June 28!
Click the image for details. Contact Ian if you still have a question.
Summer Garden Schedule and Adopt-a-Garden
We just finished our last week of Spring Programs in School Gardens, which means that Summer Garden programs will be starting soon. Please come visit a school garden near you this summer – they are all open to the community on a weekly basis.
We are still 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 – watering every few days (depending on temperatures), 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 above and contact info@LCschoolgardens.org if you need more information. All garden activities and programs are FREE.
Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 13
LCSG Garden Bike Tour
Visit five school gardens on May 20, from 3-5pm. Light snacks and refresments will be provided and kids are welcome.
Sign up at: https://tinyurl.com/lvjyme3
Spring 2017 Garden programs begin March 6th, 2017
Weekly Spring Garden programs begin on Monday, March 6th, 2017
– this means a lot of good things, including weekly volunteer opportunities!
If you haven’t volunteered with us before, please email our Volunteer Coordinator julia@lcschoolgardens.org and
we’ll get you plugged in with the garden or activity that’s right for you and your schedule.
Every hour you’re able to contribute as a volunteer – whether it’s on a weekly, monthly, or even an
annual basis – makes a difference in the lives of kids and families in our community.
