Upcoming Gardening events
1. ORGANIC VEGETABLE GROWING WORKSHOP by Janette Haase
Explore how one can transform one’s diet to one that is local and seasonal without moving to the country. An efficient and productive backyard garden, a simple cold storage area and a commitment to cooking what is local can send you well on your way.
When: Thursday, February 16th, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Sydenham or Kingston (TBA)
Cost: $60 (plus HST) includes a copy of my book, From Seed to Table
Contact: janettehaase@gmail.com or phone 613-376-9849
2. SEED BASICS WORKSHOP by Cate Henderson
The first in the series “Saving Seeds for Sustainability”. All welcome Saturday, February 18, 1-4pm
Heirloom Seed Sanctuary Barn, behind the Motherhouse at 1200 Princess St. Kingston 613-544-4525 x 124
3. Grow a Row
Here at Loving Spoonful we are in the planning stages for another Grow a Row campaign.
What is Grow a Row? The purpose of Grow a Row is to encourage growers (both full-time farmers and backyard or community gardeners) to grow an extra row of food for the express purpose of donation to emergency meal programs.
What does the campaign involve? Loving Spoonful staff and our volunteer Grow a Row Committee collect donated food at the Downtown Farmers Market from June-October, deliver food to 18 agencies that feed their clients, maintain the Acorn donation garden, and preserve surplus produce in our community kitchen workbees. The campaign starts off in May with a seedling sale and launch party and wraps up in late October with a harvest party and fall cleanup event at the Oak Street Community Garden.
Why is Grow a Row important? Food costs are on the rise. In 2011 the price of fresh produce rose 16% from 2010 prices – making the purchase of healthy fresh food beyond the means of many Kingstonians. Grow a Row makes more fresh produce available for low-income members of our community. Last year we collected over 7000 lbs of fresh produce through the Grow a Row campaign! By preserving some of the donated produce that comes in during peak growing times – think tomatoes in September – we are able to extend the amount of fresh local food available to meal programs beyond the growing season.
How can you get involved? There are many ways to participate in the Grow a Row campaign, and we encourage you to engage in the way(s) that suits you best.
For the green thumbs:
Plant an extra row or container in your garden and donate the produce. Register your garden at any point and then drop off food at the Downtown Farmers Market Tues & Thurs from 2-4:30 or Sat from 11-4:30 and join the total
Help maintain the Acorn donation garden at Oak Street Community Garden, or help maintain the donation plot at the Community Garden where you have a plot
Champion Grow a Row in your workplace by joining the Workplace Challenge – prizes for the workplaces with the highest levels of donation and participation per employee!
For the non-gardeners:
Consider purchasing a Community Shared Agriculture share or produce from market vendors for donation to Grow a Row
Volunteer to collect food at the Downtown Farmers Market and/or deliver donated produce to meal programs
Lend your expertise to help with publicity, fundraising, outreach and event planning
Please help make the 2012 Grow a Row Campaign our biggest and best yet!!
For more information about Grow a Row or to get involved please contact info[at]lovingspoonful[dot]org or call 613-546-4291 ext. 1871.