Educational Gardens

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Comment by Kat on September 17, 2009 at 11:47pm

If you're going to the Common Ground Fair on Friday, Sept 25th, come visit the Teacher Resource Tent by the Rose gate (north) entrance. There will be lots of information for anyone who has or would like to start an educational garden with kids. The Maine School Garden Network is helping put this together; also check out our newly updated web site launching on that day! msgn.org Say hi if you stop in! Kat

Comment by Amanda Beal on July 29, 2009 at 9:41am

Just a reminder - it's not too late to register!

Connecting Classrooms to Cafeterias:
From Arugula to Zucchini
A Conference for K-12 Educators

August 7, 2009 – 9:00 to 4:30

Gorham Middle School

106 Weeks Road, Gorham, Maine 04038

Conference registration is $15.00 per person – includes a delicious local lunch!

* 1.0 CEU is available – if interested, bring a check along on the day of the conference for $20.00, made payable to the University of Southern Maine.*

AGENDA

9:00-9:30 Registration - garden open for self-tours
9:30-9:50 Opening remarks
10:00-12:00 Workshop Session 1 (see choices below)
12:00-1:30 Maine Harvest Lunch & Panel Presentation
1:30-3:30 Workshop Session 2 (see choices below)
3:30-4:30 Garden open for guided or self-tours


Workshop Session 1

A: Integrating School Garden Activities into Classroom Curriculum – Grades 6-12 (Heather Russell Whitaker, Gorham Schools, Jessica Rhys, Maine School Garden Network & Cultivating Community)
A session for grades 6-12 educators who already have school gardens or are interested in starting
one with their students, and are looking for ideas to link activities to various subjects. Weather
permitting, this session will include time outside in Gorham Middle School’s garden.


B: Maine Foods for Maine Kids Curriculum Program Training - Grades K-5 (Sarah Plummer,
Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District)
A session for grades K-5 educators that will delve into the progressive local foods curriculum
program developed to support the Maine Harvest Lunch program in schools.

C: The Making of a Maine Harvest Lunch Cooking Class (Cheryl Wixson, Maine Organic Farmers &
Gardeners Association)
A hands-on class using locally grown, seasonally available foods. Cheryl has taught this fun and
enlightening class to many school food services staff, teachers and students in support of the
Maine Harvest Lunch program.

D: Classroom Composting (Elizabeth Patten, Healthy Foods from Healthy Soils)
The author of Healthy Foods from Healthy Soils - A Hands-On Resource for Teachers, Elizabeth will
teach participants about classroom composting and vermiculture, as well as discuss the basics of outdoor
systems.


Workshop Session 2

E: Integrating School Garden activities into your Curriculum – Grades K-5 (Heather Russell,
Gorham Schools, Jessica Rhys, Maine School Garden Network & Cultivating Community)
A session for grades K-5 educators who already have school gardens or are interested in starting
one with their students, and are looking for ideas to link activities to various subjects. Weather
permitting, this session will include time outside in Gorham Middle School’s garden.

F: Maine Foods for Maine Kids Curriculum Program Training - Grades 6-8 (Amanda Beal, PROP’s
Communities Promoting Health Coalition)
A session for grades 6-8 educators that will delve into the progressive local foods curriculum
program developed to support the Maine Harvest Lunch program in schools.

G: Taste Testing Activities for Students (Local Sprouts Cooperative)
Educators from Local Sprouts Cooperative will share recipes and techniques that engage and
encourage students to try new foods as a strategy for shifting food preferences toward healthier
options.

H: Preserving the Harvest (Kathy Savoie, University of Maine Cooperative Extension)
Kathy will teach the basics of food safety and preservation in a kitchen setting, and discuss
Cooperative Extension resources for educators.


REGISTER AT:
www.mofga.org - select HOME, then CALENDAR and scroll to August 7th

INQUIRIES may be directed to:
Amanda Beal at abeal@propeople.org or 207-553-5838


Conference co-sponsors: Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, Cultivating Community, Maine School Garden Network, Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and PROP's Communities Promoting Health Coalition (A Healthy Maine Partnership).

Comment by Elizabeth Patten on July 26, 2009 at 8:49pm

The Maine School Garden Network is being refurbished and you're invited to share your project. See www.msgn.org to add your educational garden or school greening initiative to the directory or to suggest favorite resources or curricula. Any content you'd like to see? Contact us at msgnadmin@gmail.com.

Comment by Amanda Beal on June 25, 2009 at 6:22pm

Hi All,

Just wanted to alert you to an event happening in Gorham on August 7th:
Connecting Classrooms and Cafeterias: From Arugula to Zucchini - A Conference for K-12 Educators. Check out the ELFC calendar or MOFGA's online calendar (www.mofga.org) for more info.

Thanks,
Amanda

Comment by Ken Morse on February 22, 2009 at 10:29am

The Workshop in Oxford County will be on Friday, April 10th, not on April 12th as I mistakely said in the last post.. (I may be silly but not silly enough to schedule a workshop on Easter!!).

Thanks to Ellie Libby for catching this and letting me know.
Ken

Comment by Ken Morse on February 21, 2009 at 12:52pm

Kate Goldberg at Healthy Oxford Hills and Barb Murphyof the Oxford County Univ of Me. Cooperative Extension are duplicating the Workshop that Ellie talks about in the previous post. It will be held 12:30-4:30 on April 12th in South Paris. Contact me for more information, Ken Morse, ken@healthyoxfordhills.org

Comment by Ellie Libby on February 13, 2009 at 11:28am

"From Soil to Garden to Plate: Tools to Start a Youth Gardening and Food Education Program" . This day-long workshop is being held in late February at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Knox-Lincoln office in Waldoboro. It is currently full with a waiting list of over 30 participants. Participants are coming from eight counties and 27 different schools. child care centers and youth organizations. Plans are underway to do a similar workshop in Oxford County. For more information, please contact Ellie Libby at elibby@umext.maine.edu.

Comment by Jessica Bean on January 22, 2009 at 3:45pm

This new MSGN is now looking for volunteer members for an advisory board. Being a member of this board will be an opportunity to shape the Maine School Garden Network as it is being rebuilt, and to create support for school gardens and green school initiatives all over the state.

One and two year board membership opportunities are available. We are looking for some college and high school age members, and also for members with fundraising experience or expertise. Most of all though, we are looking for individuals with vision, optimism and passion for school gardens and green schools with the ability to be dedicated.

Board membership duties will entail regular monthly or bimonthly meetings, and periodic volunteer work outside of meetings to support development of the organization.

For more information please contact Jessica Rhys at pondmountain@hotmail.com or 207-831-5655.