Vermont Community Garden Network

Posted by Carrie Fenn on Jun 24, 2020

6/24/20

Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary via Zoom

Bob Sanders, Carrie Fenn, Linda Barker, Erik K. Terry, France, Linda Gilbert, Richard Fox, Charlie Kofman, Susan Grimes, John Hammer, Howard, Carole, Adam, Ric, Chris Davis, Rosalyn Graham, Keith Walsh, Denis, Jonathan, Jim Donovan, Margo Casco, Joan, Erica Webster, Bill Deming, Dan York

Keith rang the bell at 7:33.

 

6/24/20

Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary via Zoom

Bob Sanders, Carrie Fenn, Linda Barker, Erik K. Terry, France, Linda Gilbert, Richard Fox, Charlie Kofman, Susan Grimes, John Hammer, Howard, Carole, Adam, Ric, Chris Davis, Rosalyn Graham, Keith Walsh, Denis, Jonathan, Jim Donovan, Margo Casco, Joan, Erica Webster, Bill Deming, Dan York

Keith rang the bell at 7:33.

We will celebrate Changing of the Guard 5:00 Friday June 26 at Chris’ house 2511 Greenbush Road, Charlotte and via Zoom. 

Thanks to Richard Fox for a wonderful celebration last week.

Susan Grimes spoke about the bike rack grant.  Lee asked that Chris and Susan share the grant with him. He is willing to add some funds to the project. Rotary will be the applicant with Lee’s support. Planning to collaborate with other organizations in the CSH town to get additional funding. $1500 for the rack plus installation costs. CSH Rotary will ask AARP for $1000 and then raise an additional $500 to $800. Need to confirm permitting and consider a plaque for donors. Application will be submitted Friday evening. The Shelburne project will be the first of three racks. Perhaps Shelburne will consider in kind services (permitting, installation). Charlotte and Hinesburg projects will be pursued via a Rotary grant. Our club agreed to donate $200.Write donations to CSH Rotary with “bike rack” in the subject line. 

Trinity will not be open until at least September.

There’s no plan yet to feed school kids during the summer. 

We have a service project opportunity at CCS watering, weeding and harvesting the food garden for kids who are food insecure, and surplus will go to the food shelf. This is a nice pportunity to be present in the community

August 9-15, August 16-22, August 22-29- need 2 or 3 members to sign up. 

Michelle Gates is our speaker today. With the Vermont Community Garden Network

https://vcgn.org/

Started as Friends of Burlington Gardens in 2001., focused on any kind of shared gardens. 500 gardens they help support half in schools, half in libraries, neighborhoods, hospitals, and support home gardens as well. 

Programs include:

  • Gardens for Learning: going on for 10 years, grant program for summer school programs to teach kids how to grow food, and then share the food with kids whose families are food insecure.
  • Thriving Grant program- start up gardens.
  • Gardens for Affordable Housing communities, providing food but also a sense of community.
  • VCGN has established a victory garden at the Intervale, and programs to train Skinny Pancake employees on how to grow food. 
  • New Americans garden and a teaching garden at Ethan Allen Homestead.
  • Innovations during COVID include a virtual program with blind and visually impairment adolescents.
  • Workplace wellness program- composting, onsite garden, nutrition
  • Grow It leadership program for people who manage shared gardens
  • Launching a Gardens for Health program with UVM Health Center, rooftop garden at the hospital- patients that are seen at UVM that have diabetes or other risk factors. Offer gardening skills, nutrition education, exercise, working in prevention and intervention.
  • Weekly email “this week in the garden”- what we’re seeing, what we’re planting, preserving

Board meets every other month and they recently created a three year strategic plan which is focused on expanding programming. Demonstration and garden and affordable housing programs to expand around the state, and the medical center program. Folks are really interested in gardening for hunger prevention. Gardening is a pathway to health- fresh produce, clarity and mental health, exercise, fresh air, nature therapy. Being introduced to food and where it comes is a great educational tool. Growing food benefits the entire family, and helps children enjoy and appreciate healthy food. Silver living to the pandemic is that people are home and are interested in gardening. 

Folks can sign up for packages of free seeds.

If it looks like a weed and acts like a weed, is it a weed?

There are some weeds that can be used for salves, and other medicinal purposes.

The VCGF has great information on the website about plants, weeds, pests, etc.

Sign up for This Week in the Garden on the website.

Schools can get in touch with the Farm to School program in the area.

Partner with UVM extension, Agroforestry incorporating fruit trees in the garden

Getting ready to launch a monthly webinar in September. 

Michelle is in love with the Intervale- so many examples of different kinds of garden. 30 different ways to mulch, 20 different ways to trellis. It’s a great place to hang out.

If you’re wondering about the thing behind Jim’s head, it’s just the way the background glitches. 

Have a great week!!

Respectfully submitted,

Carrie Fenn