Victory/Vegetable garden at KMES

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Deborah Levine

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Jun 4, 2017, 10:46:04 PM6/4/17
to KempM...@googlegroups.com, Dm Vierling, Howard Gorin
Rachel,
Dave,

I met with Howard Gorin this morning who told me that he had spoken to Dr. James about establishing a vegetable garden at KMES.  I know that there had been a garden at the school in the past (Hannah had worked on it as an after school activity last year.).  I was wondering what we would need to do in order to re-establish the garden, and possible grow some vegetables that could be used to provide some fresh produce to those students who receive food for the weekend.

If you could please point me in the correct direction, I think that this would be a great addition to the activities that are currently taking place at KMES.

Debbie Weinstein

Thulie Rice

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Jun 6, 2017, 10:20:22 AM6/6/17
to Deborah Levine, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Dm Vierling, Howard Gorin
This would be a GREAT idea!!!!! I just had the conversation with my son a few weeks ago when we were at the playground. If I could help in any way I would LOVE to do so.

Thulie Rice

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Amanda Vierling

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Jun 6, 2017, 3:14:07 PM6/6/17
to Thulie Rice, David.m.vierling, Howard Gorin, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Deborah Levine
The old garden was started by Mr. Mahler, who passed away when Katie was in kindergarten. It was tended by/ garden club organized by Oscar Bruitrago til he got another job. Not sure who else. 

Would Tony in the front office be willing to coordinate a club or should it be a PTA gig? Can we work it with volunteers over the summer? Is the fence locked? 

Amanda V. 

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Hines, Emily C

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Jun 6, 2017, 4:21:37 PM6/6/17
to Amanda Vierling, Thulie Rice, David.m.vierling, Howard Gorin, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Deborah Levine

In talking with Oscar and others from days gone by, the big issue with the garden is that most things grow in the summer when no one is here to tend it.  I was told that Mr. Mahler and his family were the ones that really made sure things were taken care of in the summer.

 

It has occurred to me that UMd would be a great resource with their agricultural program—it seems to me that there would be summer students that would be interested in the concept of a neighborhood garden and how to make it sustainable.  They also might have a workable growing calendar for late fall vegetables.  I have never tried to follow up, so I’m throwing it out thereJ

 

Emily Hines

 

From: kempm...@googlegroups.com [mailto:kempm...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Amanda Vierling
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2017 12:50 PM
To: Thulie Rice <thul...@gmail.com>
Cc: David.m.vierling <david.m....@gmail.com>; Howard Gorin <hdgo...@gmail.com>; KempM...@googlegroups.com; Deborah Levine <debsl...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Victory/Vegetable garden at KMES

 

The old garden was started by Mr. Mahler, who passed away when Katie was in kindergarten. It was tended by/ garden club organized by Oscar Bruitrago til he got another job. Not sure who else. 

 

Would Tony in the front office be willing to coordinate a club or should it be a PTA gig? Can we work it with volunteers over the summer? Is the fence locked? 

 

Amanda V. 

On Jun 6, 2017 10:20 AM, "Thulie Rice" <thul...@gmail.com> wrote:

This would be a GREAT idea!!!!! I just had the conversation with my son a few weeks ago when we were at the playground. If I could help in any way I would LOVE to do so.

 

Thulie Rice

On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 10:19 PM, 'Deborah Levine' via Kemp Mill Elementary School PTA <KempM...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Rachel,

Dave,

 

I met with Howard Gorin this morning who told me that he had spoken to Dr. James about establishing a vegetable garden at KMES.  I know that there had been a garden at the school in the past (Hannah had worked on it as an after school activity last year.).  I was wondering what we would need to do in order to re-establish the garden, and possible grow some vegetables that could be used to provide some fresh produce to those students who receive food for the weekend.

 

If you could please point me in the correct direction, I think that this would be a great addition to the activities that are currently taking place at KMES.

 

Debbie Weinstein

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Rachel Griffin

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Jun 6, 2017, 7:41:09 PM6/6/17
to Hines, Emily C, Amanda Vierling, Thulie Rice, David. m. vierling, Howard Gorin, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Deborah Levine
The garden is an excellent project for our kids!  It's exciting to hear interest from our parents.

To make it happen, I think someone will need to lead the discussion. If someone pulls together parents to detail a plan, then that person can present it to school and see what would work out. Off the top of my head, the group could think about costs, types of plants, schedule for tending, how to get water, how the kids are involved vs. adults.

If funds are needed, this gardening group could bring the school-approved plan to the pta's budget meeting this September. 

I'm hoping this gardening group takes off!  Any parent who is interested in leading can use this email group to reach out to everyone. 

Happy almost Summer!
Rachel

Enendu, Ijeoma

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Jun 6, 2017, 9:37:20 PM6/6/17
to Hines, Emily C, Amanda Vierling, Thulie Rice, David.m.vierling, Howard Gorin, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Deborah Levine
Just to clarify, are we trying to start this garden prior to summer? Or at the Starr of the new school year?

I ask because in terms of finding volunteers to help maintain the garden, we may be able to use high school students who may need volunteer hours. Also, I can help, but not over the summer as I will have surgery at the end of the month that will put me out of commission for three months. However, once I come back, I will be happy to help wherever I am needed.

Sergeant I. Enendu
Montgomery County Police
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID


"Hines, Emily C" <Emily_...@mcpsmd.org> wrote:

Michael Jacknis

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Jun 6, 2017, 9:37:20 PM6/6/17
to Hines, Emily C, dm Vierling, Deborah Levine, Thulie Rice, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Howard Gorin, Amanda Vierling
Can this be a joint project with the Kemp Mill Civic Association?  May I pitch this?  They would basically need permission,  access,  water, and I imagine some kind of  liability pardon should the effort fail. 

Also,  there used to be an apple grove beyond the fence,  going down to the old hopscotch court. 

No matter who is involved,  we need to answer, compellingly,  why a local resident would want to tend a communal garden rather than a backyard one.   What would they gain, especially if we want to engage neighborhood folks with no other ties to the school?

Mike

On Jun 6, 2017 4:21 PM, "Hines, Emily C" <Emily_...@mcpsmd.org> wrote:

In talking with Oscar and others from days gone by, the big issue with the garden is that most things grow in the summer when no one is here to tend it.  I was told that Mr. Mahler and his family were the ones that really made sure things were taken care of in the summer.

 

It has occurred to me that UMd would be a great resource with their agricultural program—it seems to me that there would be summer students that would be interested in the concept of a neighborhood garden and how to make it sustainable.  They also might have a workable growing calendar for late fall vegetables.  I have never tried to follow up, so I’m throwing it out thereJ

 

Emily Hines

 

From: kempm...@googlegroups.com [mailto:kempmillpta@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Amanda Vierling
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2017 12:50 PM
To: Thulie Rice <thul...@gmail.com>
Cc: David.m.vierling <david.m....@gmail.com>; Howard Gorin <hdgo...@gmail.com>; KempM...@googlegroups.com; Deborah Levine <debsl...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Victory/Vegetable garden at KMES

 

The old garden was started by Mr. Mahler, who passed away when Katie was in kindergarten. It was tended by/ garden club organized by Oscar Bruitrago til he got another job. Not sure who else. 

 

Would Tony in the front office be willing to coordinate a club or should it be a PTA gig? Can we work it with volunteers over the summer? Is the fence locked? 

 

Amanda V. 

On Jun 6, 2017 10:20 AM, "Thulie Rice" <thul...@gmail.com> wrote:

This would be a GREAT idea!!!!! I just had the conversation with my son a few weeks ago when we were at the playground. If I could help in any way I would LOVE to do so.

 

Thulie Rice

On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 10:19 PM, 'Deborah Levine' via Kemp Mill Elementary School PTA <KempM...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Rachel,

Dave,

 

I met with Howard Gorin this morning who told me that he had spoken to Dr. James about establishing a vegetable garden at KMES.  I know that there had been a garden at the school in the past (Hannah had worked on it as an after school activity last year.).  I was wondering what we would need to do in order to re-establish the garden, and possible grow some vegetables that could be used to provide some fresh produce to those students who receive food for the weekend.

 

If you could please point me in the correct direction, I think that this would be a great addition to the activities that are currently taking place at KMES.

 

Debbie Weinstein

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Angela Moore

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Jun 7, 2017, 3:12:44 PM6/7/17
to Michael Jacknis, Hines, Emily C, dm Vierling, Deborah Levine, Thulie Rice, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Howard Gorin, Amanda Vierling
Mike, 

I'm not sure we need to make any compelling argument at all. What we need is someone who is really motivated to do this of their own initiative. Why would we spend our time trying to talk someone into something? Such an effort will only work if the person/people with the interest, time, energy, expertise and other resources is/are really enthused to do this. If we on this e-mail chain have to use our limited resources (time, money, or otherwise) drumming up and then refreshing enthusiasm, it seems much less likely to be successful. I'm imagining that we offer this as an opportunity for someone already seeking out such an endeavor; and not something we try to convince someone to do. And, if we devote a little energy towards simply compiling a solid, reliable volunteer list, that should be all that a motivated Garden Chair would need to take on this beat "opportunity."

As to the why someone would want to work in our school garden: certainly many people in the neighborhood have yards, but not everyone has an area of a yard that is prepared for a vegetable garden or bed. And, many of our school families are in apartments without access to a nice, in-ground garden plot like we have to offer. Also, simplistically, hopefully people simply care about their community, and would consider working in a school garden for the benefit of the local Elementary School specifically, and its families. As several of us have now suggested, there are surely folks out there to fit this bill - Master Gardeners, Eagle Scouts, Grad Students in the Ag department at UMD (or other school)  already looking for projects like this. In that case, we just have to introduce them to what a wonderful, fertile ground (literally and figuratively) our school is ;-)

So then, liability pardon: really?  I don't think we owe anyone a guarantee of success on such an endeavor. Again, if someone wants to take this on: great. If not, then we wait until the person with the right stuff comes along to make it happen.

Another detail - I don't really see how this could develop quickly right now, in terms of planting and harvesting. First, the beds are a good ways from being plantable right now. Second, its a bit late in the season to be working up details like water access over the summer; would be tough to speed through. The school (staff, admin, PTA, volunteers) are focused on closing up the calendar for the summer, not really ramping up to take on big new projects for the summer. Third, the PTA budget for this year is pretty much spent. Any aspect of this that would seek PTA funds would have to be approved by the new board in the new budget in the new school year. Fortunately, we have the summer to think more about this, and look for the right people to make it happen. And, if proposed to the new budget committee and board with a more detailed request, might be at least partially funded.

Finally, if we spend some thoughtful time planning, recruiting volunteers, etc. we might even be able to tap into resources like local nurseries, landscape companies, etc. willing to donate things like soil, plants, expertise and over-sight. It seems to me this an idea it is good we are talking about, working towards, and ruminating on; right now I would suggest we are in the information gathering/volunteer recruiting phase of this possible project. 

In terms of concrete offerings - I would be happy to host some informal get-togethers at my house to further discuss with any interested parties. That includes folks on this chain, as well as any community members any of us identify. And, as I said before, I'm happy to devote some good discussion time to this at the August 5/6 retreat. For now I (and probably many of you) feel like I just need to survive the end of school, and the month of June. Our family will be on travel the first two weeks of July, but I'll be happy to host, starting in mid-July.

And, as I hinted before, people who are seriously interested in the status of our KMES garden could certainly fill a yard waste bag (or two) with over-growth starting right now, to help us get a head-start on digging out this hidden gem we all seem to love.




On Tuesday, June 6, 2017 9:37 PM, Michael Jacknis <mjac...@gmail.com> wrote:


Can this be a joint project with the Kemp Mill Civic Association?  May I pitch this?  They would basically need permission,  access,  water, and I imagine some kind of  liability pardon should the effort fail. 

Also,  there used to be an apple grove beyond the fence,  going down to the old hopscotch court. 

No matter who is involved,  we need to answer, compellingly,  why a local resident would want to tend a communal garden rather than a backyard one.   What would they gain, especially if we want to engage neighborhood folks with no other ties to the school?

Mike
On Jun 6, 2017 4:21 PM, "Hines, Emily C" <Emily_...@mcpsmd.org> wrote:
In talking with Oscar and others from days gone by, the big issue with the garden is that most things grow in the summer when no one is here to tend it.  I was told that Mr. Mahler and his family were the ones that really made sure things were taken care of in the summer.
 
It has occurred to me that UMd would be a great resource with their agricultural program—it seems to me that there would be summer students that would be interested in the concept of a neighborhood garden and how to make it sustainable.  They also might have a workable growing calendar for late fall vegetables.  I have never tried to follow up, so I’m throwing it out thereJ
 
Emily Hines
 

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Daniel Garrett

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Jun 8, 2017, 6:59:15 AM6/8/17
to Angela Moore, Michael Jacknis, Hines, Emily C, dm Vierling, Deborah Levine, Thulie Rice, KempM...@googlegroups.com, Howard Gorin, Amanda Vierling
The potential of that garden in terms of the school and the community is quite immensely beautiful.  Here is a link about how to start a community garden. https://communitygarden.org/resources/10-steps-to-starting-a-community-garden/
Step one is just for interested people to meet.  Shall we?

Daniel

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