School Garden Listserve News, April Edition!

[Des Moines School Garden Network]

Springtime Salutations, DM School Gardeners! 

As April showers bring May flowers, we hope that this latest listserve message brings you inspiration and resources for your spring planting plans. Listed below you'll find relevant info regarding local sources for all of your school garden needs- seeds, plants, mulch, soil, compost, volunteers- oh my! Upcoming events, grant opportunities, and some great webinars are also included. As you plan your garden planting days and upcoming volunteer opportunities, please remember that this listserve is here to serve you! Share your events and plans with the >100 other local garden gurus who are connected through this listserve. Another productive, glorious season of gardening across Des Moines schools is well on its way! 

"The beautiful spring came, and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also"- Harriet Ann Jacobs

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Don't Miss this Upcoming Event! 

Des Moines Farm to School Workshop: Friday May 1st, 8:30am-5:00pm, Altoona 

Hosted by National Center for Appropriate Technologies and FoodCorps Iowa, the Des Moines Farm to School Workshop will be packed full of great resources for Farm to School and school gardens, and even includes some of our very own DMPS teachers and faculty! Please consider attending so we can strengthen our roots and expand our influence in Farm to School in this city. Sign up here today! We hope to see you there. 

Spring Garden Resources for you!

Iowa Farm to School Toolkit

These six resource sheets on Farm to School in Iowa grew out of the Farm to School meetings happening across the state. We hope these can be useful to you in your Farm to School efforts! 

Looking for seeds?

We've got tons of seeds housed at the Central Nutrition Center (1225 2nd Ave). Here are the seeds we have: cabbage, leeks, onions, pumpkins, zinnia. . . . . 

If you'd like any of these seeds, let us know! First come, first served. 

Looking for plants? 

The Master Gardener Plant Sale: May 2nd-3rd, Altoona- First day, plants are half off for school and community gardens, and plants are free the second day (though they get pretty picked over!) 

The DMPS FFA Plant Sale: April 12th- June 8th, Central Campus Greenhouse and Nursery, 201 S.W. County line Road Des Moines- DM Future Farmers of America group is selling plant starts.  

Looking for mulch? 

The city of Des Moines has lots of mulch available for the taking and for free drop-off. If you would like some, contact Jason Dix at JR...@dmgov.org. 

Additionally, Asplundh tree service drops off wood chips for free to school gardens in Des Moines. Call 515-577-0640. 

Looking for topsoil? 

Des Moines Public Schools can drop off topsoil for free at your garden. It will probably need to be mixed with mulch or compost for higher quality, but could definitely be useful! Contact james.wilkerson@dmschools.org. 

Wondering how to start a compost bin at your school garden?

Check out this nice video resource! Composting garden waste is a great way to save money on expensive store-bought compost, and creates a closed loop system in your little garden ecosystem. Plus, it offers many more learning opportunities about decomposition, soil composition, and worms/bugs! Here's also a great webinar on composting at schools. 

Bonus: Have you thought about composting inside (or outside) with a worm bin at your school or garden? 

Do you have any Earth Day/Week or Garden Days coming up?

Let us know! We may be able to get word out or direct volunteers your way. 

Have you started your garden plans?

Community Garden Planner; Smart Gardener is an interactive online tool to get your garden mapped out. 

And for a giant bag of tricks...

This Growing Guide is an excellent resource that will provide you the steps and tools for planning and planting a raised bed garden. Detailing how to build raised beds, how to create a planting chart, and how care for your garden, this resource comes highly recommended. Information about the square foot planting method- an efficient way to grow a diversity of crops in a safe and simple raised bed structure- is also included. 

Our strong suggestion for your garden:

Plan a Garden Day for your school garden. This should be a time that someone (or preferably everyone) will be able to attend weekly during the summer weeks and months. Then, post this day and time at your garden to make it easier to engage community members or volunteers in your garden! There are many people interested in participating, but they may be more inclined to participate with additional guidance, community building, and will promote greater organization and communication within your garden. Additionally, larger volunteer groups may be able to attend, and Master Gardeners may also be willing to come help out in your garden with planning, guidance, teaching, etc. 

Grant Opportunities!

Carton 2 Garden Contest, Due April 22, 2015

The Carton 2 Garden contest, which is open to any public, private, or charter K-12 school in the US, is looking for the most creative or most appropriate use of repurposed juice and milk cartons in a school garden. The contest will award prize packages worth more than $1000 to 16 winners across 8 regions, as well as to 4 national winners, who will receive prizes worth up to $2,500.

Upcoming Webinars!

Grow Your Volunteers: Recruitment and Engagement, Wednesday April 8th, 7pm  

Slow Food USA’s April School Garden Webinar: with a guest presentation from Thom Duncan, Slow Food USA Board Member Please join from your computer, tablet or smartphone: You can also dial in using your phone: +1 (571) 317-3131 Access Code: 187-931-869

USDA Webinar, Thursday April 16, 1pm

Curriculum Integration: Experiential education is an important component of successful farm to school programs. This webinar will help you plan for your farm to school educational efforts and brainstorm food, agriculture, and nutrition-related educational activities with which you can engage students.

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Your garden buds,

Chelsea Krist and Amy Joens

DM FoodCorps Service Members

If you know anyone else in the area who shares our passion and efforts to connect kids and communities with fresh foods, please encourage them to email us and we will add them to the listserve. If you wish to unsubscribe (first think, is there anyone else who might join in your place?), please send a separate email to chelsea.krist@foodcorps.org and you will be removed.