WORKSHOP: School Garden Based Learning

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Brian Gallimore

WORKSHOP:  School Garden Based Learning

September 24, 2011  ·  9am-3:30pm   

AgriLife Research and Extension- Dallas Center  ·  17360 Coit Road  ·  Dallas, Texas  75252

 

Purpose of the Training:

To bring together K-8th grade teachers, support staff, and administrators who share an interest in school gardening.  Delivery of information in four areas:  the research regarding the benefits of school gardening; the horticultural knowledge necessary to sustain a garden; the use in the classroom for the garden across the curriculum; and the resources available to fund a gardening program at a school.

 

Agenda:  

  •          Key Note:   Why school gardening?  Can it really make a difference?
  •          Integrating gardening into the day

√ Break Out Sessions specific to the use of garden based lessons in Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Math, Health and Nutrition, Technology, Physical Education, Before and Afterschool, Early Childhood, and With the Parents

  •          Growing the garden

√ Break Out Sessions specific to needs and expectations for a garden in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3+

  •          Funding your gardening program

 

Registration:

$100 per school group.  Each school is encouraged to bring up to 5 teachers, support staff, administrators or volunteers.  Each registration is limited to personnel from a single school.     Lunch will be provided.  Every registered school group will leave with a “Resource Bag” that includes over $500 in resource materials that will be presented and used over the course of the day.  Registration is due by September 16, 2011

→Make checks payable to:  AgriLife Extension—Dallas Center.  Mail checks and registration forms to:

AgriLife Research and Extension- Dallas Center   17360 Coit Road  Dallas, TX  75252   Attn: Ashley Hutto

 

Follow up to the Workshop:

A Garden Tour and Conversation will be hosted on October 29, 2011 from 10am-12n at the Promise of Peace Community Garden for all of the participants to come together to share information and successes, ask questions and network.

 

Expected Outcomes:

  •          Increased knowledge regarding the benefits of school gardening
  •          Healthy, thriving  school gardens at participant schools
  •          Integrated use of the garden as a teaching tool across the curriculum and by multiple school personnel
  •          Financial sustainability of the garden program at each participant school
  •          A regional, peer network of educators and support staff working together to ensure mutual success
  •          Enhancement of the school community environment
  •          Support of the Coordinated School Health and the CATCH initiative with a thriving school gardening program
Related Documents:

Training Event one pager

Registration form

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First Fall Vegetable Planting…Praying for Rain

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Kay Trotter

Well today is August 1st which is traditionally when you start planting your fall vegetable garden in North Texas. But with the extreme heat that we’re having (highs predicted this week to be 108) and no relief in sight, I was not sure if I should “plant” or “not plant”.

After much thought and deliberation, I decided to go for it. It might be a mistake but what the heck there only seeds that did not cost much any way. In fact some of the seeds I harvested from last years crops and I can’t save them past one year anyway.

This year when I planed my fall vegetable garden I took the seed packs that I wanted to plant and marked the date they needed to be in the ground, breaking them into 3 groupings (8-1; 8-15, and 9-1). So today I got up bright and early, grabbed the seeds with the Aug 1st date on them and went to work. Lucky for me my beds are not hard which made hoeing and planting a snap.

What did I plant today you asks?

August 1st veggies planted

I planted two rows of: carrots, swiss chard, bush green beans and cilantro. I also supplemented the spring cucumbers (that are still alive) with a few cucumber seeds. I am still on the quest for 1 gal tomatoes, and if don’t find any this week I’ll have to give it up since it will be too late to plant them – wish me luck.

Now all that is needed is to water them daily and make sure a hard crust does not form on the rows, preventing the seeds from breaking through. Well that and to start praying for rain and a break to this excessive heat were having this summer.

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Tops and Bottoms

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Brian Gallimore

A group of helpers met up at the Promise of Peace community garden just east of White Rock Lake in Dallas on Saturday morning.  We created a new garden bed for Elizabeth to use in an educational program for the Junior Master Gardeners, based on the book “Tops & Bottoms“.  We pulled out existing vegetation (mostly Bermuda grass), lined the area with wet newspapers, unloaded a bunch of new soil, mulched around it, and planted the seeds.  Here are a few pictures of the action:

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Food Deserts in North Texas

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Brian Gallimore

The image is a screenshot from the USDA website “Food Desert Locator“.  Go to the website for the interactive map, where each area is clickable to see the statistics.

From wikipedia.org:

A food desert is any area in the industrialised world where healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain. It is prevalent in rural as well as urban areas and is most prevalent in low-socioeconomic minority communities, and is associated with a variety of diet-related health problems.[1] Food deserts are also linked with supermarket shortage.

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Citizen Gardener Class in Fort Worth – August 13, 2011

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Brian Gallimore

“Press Release” about the August 13 Citizen Gardener class in Fort Worth.

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