(May 25) Free Gardening/Ag Resources & (May 28) Farmers Market Advisory Group application
Isel Otero-Vera
Dear Collaborative Members,
Happy Friday! Please remember to share with your staff & families these two great network opportunities coming up next week:
(1) Free Bilingual gardening demo, resources and giveaways (May 25, 3-5pm, 200 E. Wyoming Ave.
(2) Farmers Market Advisory Group application (due May 28, here)
More details below…
best,
The Food Trust Farm-to-ECE Team
(1) MiSalud Resource Hub Community Day: Gardening & Food Sustainability Resources (Thursday, May 25, 3-5 p.m;. 4pm planting demo)
Location: 200 E. Wyoming Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19120
Activities and Services:
Nutrition Education, planting and cooking demonstrations
How & Where to grow an urban community or residential garden
Free resources, seeds, starter plants, books, materials and more
Join us to learn more about…
Container Gardening - Short Season Crops
What are the most suitable crops to grow at home in Philadelphia? Crop choice and methods of container gardening.
// SPA // ¿Cuáles son los cultivos más aptos para sembrar en el hogar en Filadelfia? Selección de cultivos y métodos de siembra en contenedores.
Soil Nutrients - Indoor Vermicompost
This demonstration will go over the benefits of having a vermicompost container at home, how to start a vermicompost container, how to take care of the worms, and how to use the final product.
// SPA // En esta demostración vamos a discutir los beneficios de tener una composta con lombrices (vermicomposta), cómo empezar una vermicomposta, cómo cuidar de las lombrices y cómo utilizar el producto final.”
Our collaborative members are excited to work in partnership with the Philly Master Gardeners and Penn State Extension's team, Jessica Schweiger and Raymond Balaguer-Barbosa. Keep sending your gardening questions and ideas our way!
(2) 2023 Philadelphia Farmers Market Advisory Group (due Sunday, May 28, here)
In partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and Parks and Recreation and support from a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grant, a new cohort of advisory group members (composed of urban and rural farmers, farmers market vendors, community members and other local food stakeholders) are being recruited to provide broader-ranging support and a greater focus on building capacity, skills and strategies for farmers in PA to strengthen operations and increase sales in the communities they serve. FMAG will support new and existing farmers from all markets across the city, with increased access to workshops, webinars and a community of learning. Members of this group will:
- Help inform farmers market operations
- Identify/create resources for farmers and markets
- Identify areas for peer to peer technical assistance
- Serve as a community of learning and feedback
These opportunities may include:
- Wholesale produce sales at Philadelphia retail outlets i.e. corner stores, superettes and restaurants
- Solutions to increasing farmer recruitment and sustainability for markets
- Vending opportunities at school and preschool-based farm stands
- Stipends or incentives for farmers vending at small markets in low-income neighborhoods
- Connecting farmers with Healthy Food Financing grant opportunities
- Local food entrepreneur connections and peer-to-peer support to motivate local sourcing and creating business opportunities to support farmers market operators across the city to provide feedback and guide the farmers market planning process.
If selected, a $750 stipend will be provided to Advisory Group members for:
-- Monthly virtual meeting during the months of June through October (5 meetings total, 1.5 hours each for a total of 7.5 hours)
--An additional ~2 hours per month for time-sensitive correspondence and projects.
Meetings will tentatively be scheduled for the last Monday of every month at 10am:
(6/26, 7/31, 8/28, 9/25, 10/30)
Please complete this questionnaire by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 28. If you have any questions about this Questionnaire, please email farmer...@thefoodtrust.org with the subject line "Farmers Market Advisory Group".
Form/questionnaire here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOwEcHWAGNwipHGw571ZEUpMKrhecFGUfS3FG4pRUF0PE_eQ/viewform
