Copy of Fall 2013
The Fall 2013 Grow Food Grow Hope News Letter features articles by our Wilmington College Students. This is the second edition of 2013.Inside you'll find information about our upcoming food hub project as well as reflections from our Summer Associates.
Content
Grow Food, Grow Hope
GROW FOOD GROW HOPE
FALL 2013
Fall 2013
GrowFoodGrowHope.com
GrowFoodGrowHope.com
THE FRED KRISHER GROW FOOD GROW HOPE ENDOWMENT FUND
In 2012, we lost a cherished member of the Grow Food, Grow Hope Family. Fred Krisher, a Wilmington College alumnus and trustee, had been with our program since the beginning, sharing his knowledge and love of gardening with our participants as a mentor. Fred not only enjoyed sharing his knowledge of gardening but also his love for the land and the personal satisfaction one receives from working in service to others. He imparted his
passion for gardening and for his community to those around him. Always eager to contribute to the community garden, we are incredibly grateful he chose to spend his time with us. In memory of Fred, an endowment was established which will create enduring operational support for our program. For information on how you can make a contribution, please contact Grow Food, Grow Hope at (937) 382-6661 ext. 321, or by email at: [email protected]
LETTER FROM PROJECT MANAGER, TONY STAUBACH
Dear Friends,
The last few months have not been easy for Grow Food Grow Hope. Closing out the AmeriCorps VISTA grant and saying good bye to the guaranteed support that it provided has been scary and difficult. But, this trek is not unlike a friendly hike. With the wonderful support of hundreds of volunteers and the new Wilmington College GreenChip (Student Work Program) Grow Food Grow Hope has remained strong and is growing at a consistent rate. I owe a thank you to the many friends who have volunteered their time and donated their money to Grow Food Grow Hope over the past three months. Each of them has left their mark and helped Grow Food Grow Hope forge a new path. Equally important are the organizations who have made it a priority to begin gardening. Those churches and community groups who have become interested in Grow Food Grow Hope have the power to impact more lives with our innovative and simple model. As we travel onward Grow Food Grow Hope is certain to find some rocky terrain or a steep incline. With the support of our community I am certain the Grow Food Grow Hope will emerge a stronger, more successful and impactful organization that meets the diverse needs of the communities in Southwest Ohio. Sincerely,
Anthony Staubach Project Manager- Grow Food Grow Hope
Grow Food Grow Hope
CONTENTS
Fall 2013
The Fred Krisher Endowment Fund Letter from the Project Manager Food Hub and Clinton County Foundation Wilmington College Work Program Garden Patch Summer Associates Season Extension
Project Manager and Editor: Tony Staubach Writers: Tony Staubach, Tallia McCormick, Samantha Kraemer and Micaela Wright
Interested in contributing to Grow Food, Grow Hope Publications? Contact Tallia McCormick at [email protected] or call at 937-382-6661 ext. 321
Grow Food Grow Hope
2 3 7 8 10 11 12
Fall Garden Nights
Every Tuesday Evening from 6:00-7:00 (Through December 10, 2013) Description: Volunteers may be asked to turn compost, weed garden beds or even mow the garden site. Additionally, volunteers are needed to assist gardeners with weeding and to entertain children. Where: Friends of Hope Garden across from Pyle Center at Wilmington College How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Samantha Kremer, Tony Staubach or Tara Lydy for more information. Just email [email protected]
Read and Seed
Saturday, October 19, 2013 and November 23, 2013 Description: Read and Seed is looking for volunteers to work with youth during our monthly program.
E V E N T S
Where: The Wilmington College Center for Service and Civic Engagement How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Alison Pollard, Tony Staubach or Tara Lydy for more information. Just email [email protected]
Pumpkin Pie Walk
Thursday, November 5 at 6:30pm-7:30pm Description Grow Food Grow Hope is holding a pumpkin pie walk for families and children interested in supporting the work of Grow Food Grow Hope. Tickets are $1 each. Where: Friends of Hope Garden across from Pyle Center at Wilmington College How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Micaela Wright or Tony Staubach Just email [email protected]
Food Policy Council
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 6:30PM Description: If you are a local grower or consumer feel free to come to attend the Grow Food Grow Hope Food Policy Council Meeting. We will discuss the current food related issues in Clinton County. Where: Wilmington College For more information contact Tony Staubach at [email protected]
School Lessons
Thursday, October 24 at 10:00am-11:45am (New Vienna Elementary) Thursday, October 31 at 2:00pm-3:40pm (Clinton Massie) Tuesday, November 5 10:00am-11:45am (Clinton Massie) Description GFGH will be going to ClintonMassie Elementary and New Vienna Elementary to set-up stations and a short interactive presentation. We will need volunteers to help run the stations and work with children. Where: Meet at Wilmington College Transportation will be provided by Wilmington College for interested Volunteers. How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Micaela Wright at [email protected] or [email protected]
E V E N T S
GFGH:
Food Hub
Tallia McCormick, 2013 Fall Associate
Grow Food Grow Hope was lucky enough to receive an $8,000 grant to work with food access beginning in January of 2014. This grant, specifically for this purpose, means a lot to Grow Food Grow Hope. Working with food access is the first step in developing a Food Hub would benefit more than just Grow Food Grow Hope, but locally it could benefit a lot of organizations, growers, and especially consumers, throughout Clinton County. A Food Hub is a self-sustaining way to continue production locally. Therefore the main goal is to support small town farmers (Wilmington has a lot of them) as well as our gardens, and the people that we support who garden in them too. “Food hubs present an opportunity for communities to make healthy food sourcing a profitable enterprise for producers, distributors, and retailers simultaneously, while improving access to local foods.“ This is vital to any community of course, but especially to Wilmington. Our town has suffered tremendously over the past few years, and whether we like to think about it or not many families have been forced to eat less or eat unhealthy food. Although a food hub sounds identical to a farmer’s market it is not. The major difference is
that a Food Hub works with growers directly to aggregate and distribute large quantities of food; they serve as a single point. So there is a single drop-off as well as a place to pick up the food that is being distributed to consumers. A Food Hub would be vital to Grow Food Grow Hope because it would increase the number of consumers that we serve throughout Southwest Ohio. The grant came from Clinton County Foundation. Their generosity continues to provide a way for Grow Food Grow Hope to serve Clinton County’s local food economy and stay true to our mission. It is our goal at Grow Food Grow Hope to keep the community healthy and well fed, and this will simply enhance our chances of doing this for the long run. Overall the grant to GFGH is more meaningful than words could describe. It is amazing that such a small community can pull together to support one another. We cannot wait to see where the food hub will take us in our community!
Wilmington College Work Program
Tallia McCormick, Samantha Kremer, Micaela Wright, 2013 Fall Associates
This year Wilmington College has stared an entirely new program which has assisted Grow Food Grow Hope in filling the roles left by our AmeriCorps VISTA members. Three incoming freshmen students; Micaela Wright, Samantha Kremer and Tallia McCormick, have been selected to work in the Grow Food Grow Hope office. By doing this they are not only helping the office with tasks in need of being done, but they are also receiving a small portion of their tuition off, not to mention tremendous volunteer opportunities. Each of them is in charge of a specific area and have already helped with the Farm to Table Dinner, and are beginning planning their own events. My name is Tallia McCormick, and I am in charge of Public Relations this academic year. I was born and raised in Clinton County, specifically Wilmington. Although my grandfather, Mike McCormick, was raised on a farm as a boy and has been a farmer his whole life, (as well as a preacher, alongside my grandmother Nancy McCormick,) I have never really been good at the whole farming thing. So when I found out that I was working in the GFGH offices I immediately thought of the gardens and was overwhelmed from the beginning. Gladly, and to my surprise, however, I was placed in charge of Community Outreach and my job actually suits me quite well. I have found that my area of expertise definitely falls under event planning and the contacting of other people, specifically for larger events. I especially like fundraising events, so it turns out this office was probably the best place I could have ended up. Being in this program has already taught me a lot about an office workplace, as well as an outdoorsworkplace, and I am very thankful for that. It has taught me to be adaptable with wherever I might end up, I am sure there are people out there that have a plan that leads them to exactly the place they had in mind, and these people are probably very organized people that are very in-tune with themselves. I, however, have come to find that I am not one of these people (those lucky people), so it is most definitely to my greater benefit that I landed this position. I will probably use the skills I learn from it for a very long time, if not for the rest of my life. Plus the office at GFGH really is an amazing one, filled with truly amazing people, that are very passionate about everything they do. This place is full of life and a want to help others in their every day lives, and it is so inspiring to come into work knowing I will be surrounded with this kind of attitude. I am so thankful that I ended up here. The fall season is upon us and with a new season and school year, comes many new faces. My name is Samantha Kremer and I am a freshman at
Wilmington College, involved in our brand new Work Program. I am from Versailles, Ohio, which is a little less than an hour and a half northwest of Wilmington in good ol’ Darke County. I come from a family farm, where we raise brood cows, turkeys, and horses. We also farm approximately 600 acres of wheat, corn, soybeans, hay, and sorghum. My family owns the local feed mill and grain elevator in Versailles and it has been in the family for the past 40 years. I have a passion for agriculture and would love to go back to the family operations once I am done with my schooling. I am pursuing a degree in agriculture with a concentration in agricultural business. Using the skills I have learned at college, I hope to go back to the family feed mill, join in on the operations and to one day become an investor. Currently, I am the accounting assistant and I hope to become the operations manager someday. In 2011, my grandpa passed away after a long battle with cancer. He truly was the backbone of the company and his passion and love for the company really showed me what agriculture was all about. It is because of my grandpa that I am pursuing a degree in agriculture with a concentration in agricultural business.
deners can harvest this fall with their cool season vegetables. Being new to this, I had no clue that anyone planted things in the fall besides winter wheat, (for you farmers out there)! Hope everyone has a safe fall season and of course, happy gardening! My name is Micaela Wright. I am the Youth Outreach Student Associate for Grow Food Grow Hope at Wilmington College. Some of my duties include providing lessons about gardening to children at K-5 schools in our area. I help to coordinate other children’s activities as well. My goal is to help educate children on the basics of gardening. My family has had a garden my whole life and it has taught me about growing my own food and how it is important to know where my food comes from. It is very important to teach children these basic concepts.
This is my first year at Wilmington College and also my first year working with Grow Food Grow Hope, and I am very excited about the youth programs that we have. I am looking forward to going to schools to teach children some gardening basics and about where their food comes from. I am also very excited for the children’s garden that we will have in the spring at the Friends of I am currently serving as the Grow Food Grow Hope Hope Community Garden. I look forward to working Garden Manager Student Associate. My job consists of with the kids because it is rewarding to see how much managing 40 community gardens at the Friends of Hope fun they have learning and participating in activities. gardens. The Friends of Hope gardens are located on the Wilmington College campus behind the Pyle Center. Here at Wilmington College I am pursuing a double maThe position as Grow Food Grow Hope Garden Manager jor in Agriculture (with an Animal Science concentration) and Spanish with a minor in Sustainability and I hope to Student Associate is all new to this girl because I was get my Master’s degree. My current plans are to benever really around small gardening. Coming from a farm, I am used to planting acres and acres of corn, soy- come an animal nutritionist, but I am also interested in beans, etc., but, I am not used to planting a 12 foot by 4 helping promote sustainable agriculture to help feed foot raised bed. I am very new to this type of gardening the world. Therefore, I am excited about this job and the opportunities that it has for me to gain experience. I so please be patient with me throughout the growing have a passion to help others learn about growing their seasons. Feel free to drop by anytime to see what our gardeners are growing! Recently, our gardeners planted own food, teaching children about the food they eat, their cool season vegetables. These items include: kale, and helping to feed people in need so this job is a great fit for me. lettuce, onions, radishes, beets, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, mustard, and kohlrabi. I am excited to see what the gar-
Welcome to the Garden Patch; the Fall Season
Tony Staubach, Project Manager
Growing Food and Growing Hope is a year round operation. This year Grow Food Grow Hope has decided to again extend the garden season into the fall and provide a space for more than 20 gardeners to grow. This season 10 students and 13 community gardeners have decided to dig into the soil and see what our small 12x4 foot plots can yield in the cool growing season. Although the yields will likely be small for our gardeners this year they have remained enthusiastic.. For many of our students this is the first time they have been a part of a community garden and this is the first time they have gardened in the fall. Seeing anything come up is a treasure to most of them. In addition to gardening at our Friends of Hope Garden, gardeners in Cincinnati at the New St. John Baptist Church are about to harvest some of their fall crops. Grow Food Grow Hope has been working with New St. John Baptist since June to reestablish their community garden site. With the support of William Shoecraft, Wilmington College Trustee and Member of the Church, we have been able to work with a group of congregants to set up a maintenance schedule and assist them with their fall harvest.. The congregation has already harvested some collard greens and tomatoes. With some good luck and a lot of hard work the congregation will soon harvest basil and cabbage. Throughout the fall and the winter Grow Food Grow Hope will continue to support all of our gardeners, but this spring some agencies, who have received the assistance of Grow Food Grow Hope for multiple years, will be asked to take on their project on their own so that Grow Food Grow Hope can continue to Spread the Gardens. Spread the Gardens (#spreadthegardens) is tag line associated with our new assistance application process. Beginning this winter agencies who are interested in receiving the assistance of Grow Food Grow Hope will be able to apply for our services. We will pick three new agencies this spring and will do our best to serve them in any way possible. For more information about our Spread the Gardens initiative please visit growfoodgrowhope.com and look for the Get Involved link at the top of the page. From here you can learn more about how you can get involved with Grow Food Grow Hope and how you can Spread the Gardens.
Summer Associate Experiences: 2013
Tallia McCormick, Fall Associate 2013
The Fall season is back once again and here at the GFGH offices we are all excited to begin a new season. But we can’t forget about our Summer season so soon! Just a little over a month ago the offices here were full of excited college students that loved it here so much they wanted to come help during the Summer. Like many places, there is so much here that goes on behind the scenes. There’s always weeding and cleaning to be done; Kasey Cottrell. Plus we even build greenhouses; Jake Greer, Kyle Marsh, and Josh York. But sometimes we do things for fun in preparation for events, like organize scarecrow contests, even when we’re sick, Kassandra If you ever have been in Cottrell. Occasionally we go to Cincinnati and check out the the offices or have worked here then you know about the plots we hope to have there time cards. You also know that someday; Josh York, Kristin there is a small space for you Finkbeiner, and Christina Ledto share what exactly you ac- ington. complished throughout the But if we’re really lucky, day. So the decision has been like Whitney Rymer, we get to made to use what the Sumgo get the compost for the mer Associate’s wrote there, gardens! Plus every now and so we can fill you all in on then someone one loves it what being an Associate here here and they just can’t stop is all about. coming back. Joe Njeru was not only a Summer Associate, but is involved in the Fall season as well, and has taken on much more responsibility in the office. The Summer Associates were a tremendous benefit to GFGH and everything that was accomplished over the season is of course a big thanks to them! It might be a little house across from a big building, but the GFGH offices really do so much. Anyone that has ever been involved, whether in a little way or a large way is always welcome back. There is always work to be done and the Summer Associates knew it. They did a great job and they had a wonderful time in the process. Much thanks to them, and good luck this academic year!
SEASON EXTENSION
THE SCOOP:
By moving hardy plants into your bed as your summer crops start to wither, you can eat fresh vegetables for at least 9 months out of the year, no problem. The key is having a good plan. A well planned garden with regular successive plantings will allow you to have a steady harvest well into November. A poorly planned garden, will leave you with an irregular and sporadic harvest that are not very satisfying. You’ll find yourself sometimes taking home a lot but most of the times taking home nothing at all. Having an underproductive garden is one of the key points that keep gardeners from coming back the next season. Instead of deciding to work through the fall and continue to develop their growing skills, they decide to take what they can get from their tomatoes and call it quits. All we can say to those people is, “You don’t know what you’re missing!” A fall garden can be one of the most productive of the growing season. Cooler temperatures will allow plants like lettuce, leafy greens, root crops and the brassicas to thrive. Better yet, fall crops don’t need as much care. They get by on less water, have less weeds to deal with and, often times, most of the bugs that give us fits in the summer have died off. We can even add things like winter squash and pumpkins to our plots as move out our larger summer crops as they become unproductive and start to die out. The secret for a good fall garden is in the timing. With our smaller leafy greens and lettuces, we can simply continue to succession plant like we’ve been doing all season. But with our larger plants, (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, squash and pumpkins) we are going to need to start them as transplants in mid to late-July and move them into our beds as the space begins to open up. The best thing about a fall garden? Impressing all your family members gathered around the Thanksgiving table with your specialty greens harvested just that morning!
BEATING THE FROST
Most hardy plants can tolerate temperatures just above freezing without a problem. But, sometimes even a light early frost can burn your plants. Here are some of simple solutions that any gardener can use to keep the cold out and help extend their season as long as possible. Hoop Houses Hoop Houses, or low tunnels, are made up of plastic sheeting stretched over PVC pipe or a mesh cage and made to arch over your bed. A Hoop House allows you to keep your bed, well insulated, well managed and aerated long into the fall growing season without any worry of frost damage. 2-liter bottles Most of the time plants can tolerate cooler air. It’s the frost settling on their leaves that causes the most damage. The worsts frosts occur when mild day time temperatures plunge in the evenings causing the moisture in the air to freeze. That’s the kind of day when scraping your windshield is the worst. If we think one of those days might be coming and that some of our smaller plants are in danger, we can cut a plastic 2-liter bottle in half and place it over our plant in the evening. That should preserve the humidity within the bottle and protect it from overnight frost damage. Frost Cloth/Floating Row Cover There is definitely nothing fancy about a frost cloth. Most frost cloths are cotton bed sheets that are laid overtop larger plants to protect them from overnight frost damage. The cotton collects the moisture in the air so that it doesn’t settle on your plants and freeze. Only use a frost cloth if your plants are mature enough to stand on their own. Even a light sheet will get heavy as it picks up moisture overnight and if your plants aren’t sturdy enough, it might cause them some damage.
Thank You
Grow Food Grow Hope
Farm to Table Sponsors!
Your generosity at the 2013 Farm to Table Dinner has helped Grow Food Grow Hope raise nearly $5,000. This money will be used to support our current initiatives and work to increase access to fresh food for families regardless of economic opportunity.
Mark Your Calendars for September 18, 2014 to attend the Farm to Table Dinner next year!
Presenting Sponsors
Sodexo Premier Feeds Bush Auto Place Student Sponsors
Table Sponsors
Cape May Retirement Village EMSAR, Inc. Peelle Law Offices Co.
Mary Ellen Krisher Jim Miller/ Buckley, Miller & Wright Attys. John Bullar Rebecca Morehouse Tim Buren/ The Buren Insurance Group National Bank & Trust Clinton Memorial Hospital Sandy and Tom Neville Corey and Tate Cockerill Randy Sarvis Mark Denniston James H. Schairbaum to Table Dinner 2014 Announced Jim and RuthFarm Ann Faris Brian Smith/ Smith-Feike-Minton, Inc. Lee Heironymus Sam Stratman James and Laura Hobart Roy Joe and Ruthie Stuckey McDonald’s Peggy Sturdivant Eric Kline Clifton Washington Christopher Kraus/ Temple Sholom
Sites and Agencies 2013
Blanchester School District– Blanchester, Ohio– Youth Programming Clinton Massie School District– Clarksville, Ohio– Youth Programming Clinton County Compeer– Wilmington, Ohio– Programs & Gardening East Clinton Local Schools– Sabina, Ohio– Youth Programming Friends of Hope– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Girls Scouts– Wilmington, Ohio– Youth Programming New St John Baptist ChurchCincinnati, Ohio– Community Garden Northland Court Apartments– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Ohio Farm Bureau– Columbus, Ohio– Display at Ohio State Fair Prairie View Apartments– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Quaker Apartments– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Solutions Counseling Center– Wilmington, Ohio– Youth Gardening Sugartree Ministries– Wilmington, Ohio– Produce Donation Temple SholomCincinnati, Ohio– Community Garden Westboro United Methodist Church– Midland, Ohio– Community Garden Wilmington City School District– Wilmington, Ohio– Youth Programming
937-382-661 ext. 321
www.growfoodgrowhope.com
[email protected]
Continue supporting Grow Food Grow Hope
Grow Food Grow Hope strives to increase the access of fresh food for families, raise awareness of the benefits of local food production and increase self sustainability in local food habits regardless of economic
With $100, Grow Food Grow Hope can provide a family of four with a garden plot that produces 200 lbs. of produce each year saving $250, and a mentor that can guide each family through the growing process. You can make a donation by calling 937-382-6661 or visit growfoodgrowhope.com and click on Get Involved! Grow Food, Grow Hope 1145 Pyle Center 1870 Quaker Way Wilmington, OH 45177 [email protected]
GROW FOOD GROW HOPE
FALL 2013
Fall 2013
GrowFoodGrowHope.com
GrowFoodGrowHope.com
THE FRED KRISHER GROW FOOD GROW HOPE ENDOWMENT FUND
In 2012, we lost a cherished member of the Grow Food, Grow Hope Family. Fred Krisher, a Wilmington College alumnus and trustee, had been with our program since the beginning, sharing his knowledge and love of gardening with our participants as a mentor. Fred not only enjoyed sharing his knowledge of gardening but also his love for the land and the personal satisfaction one receives from working in service to others. He imparted his
passion for gardening and for his community to those around him. Always eager to contribute to the community garden, we are incredibly grateful he chose to spend his time with us. In memory of Fred, an endowment was established which will create enduring operational support for our program. For information on how you can make a contribution, please contact Grow Food, Grow Hope at (937) 382-6661 ext. 321, or by email at: [email protected]
LETTER FROM PROJECT MANAGER, TONY STAUBACH
Dear Friends,
The last few months have not been easy for Grow Food Grow Hope. Closing out the AmeriCorps VISTA grant and saying good bye to the guaranteed support that it provided has been scary and difficult. But, this trek is not unlike a friendly hike. With the wonderful support of hundreds of volunteers and the new Wilmington College GreenChip (Student Work Program) Grow Food Grow Hope has remained strong and is growing at a consistent rate. I owe a thank you to the many friends who have volunteered their time and donated their money to Grow Food Grow Hope over the past three months. Each of them has left their mark and helped Grow Food Grow Hope forge a new path. Equally important are the organizations who have made it a priority to begin gardening. Those churches and community groups who have become interested in Grow Food Grow Hope have the power to impact more lives with our innovative and simple model. As we travel onward Grow Food Grow Hope is certain to find some rocky terrain or a steep incline. With the support of our community I am certain the Grow Food Grow Hope will emerge a stronger, more successful and impactful organization that meets the diverse needs of the communities in Southwest Ohio. Sincerely,
Anthony Staubach Project Manager- Grow Food Grow Hope
Grow Food Grow Hope
CONTENTS
Fall 2013
The Fred Krisher Endowment Fund Letter from the Project Manager Food Hub and Clinton County Foundation Wilmington College Work Program Garden Patch Summer Associates Season Extension
Project Manager and Editor: Tony Staubach Writers: Tony Staubach, Tallia McCormick, Samantha Kraemer and Micaela Wright
Interested in contributing to Grow Food, Grow Hope Publications? Contact Tallia McCormick at [email protected] or call at 937-382-6661 ext. 321
Grow Food Grow Hope
2 3 7 8 10 11 12
Fall Garden Nights
Every Tuesday Evening from 6:00-7:00 (Through December 10, 2013) Description: Volunteers may be asked to turn compost, weed garden beds or even mow the garden site. Additionally, volunteers are needed to assist gardeners with weeding and to entertain children. Where: Friends of Hope Garden across from Pyle Center at Wilmington College How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Samantha Kremer, Tony Staubach or Tara Lydy for more information. Just email [email protected]
Read and Seed
Saturday, October 19, 2013 and November 23, 2013 Description: Read and Seed is looking for volunteers to work with youth during our monthly program.
E V E N T S
Where: The Wilmington College Center for Service and Civic Engagement How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Alison Pollard, Tony Staubach or Tara Lydy for more information. Just email [email protected]
Pumpkin Pie Walk
Thursday, November 5 at 6:30pm-7:30pm Description Grow Food Grow Hope is holding a pumpkin pie walk for families and children interested in supporting the work of Grow Food Grow Hope. Tickets are $1 each. Where: Friends of Hope Garden across from Pyle Center at Wilmington College How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Micaela Wright or Tony Staubach Just email [email protected]
Food Policy Council
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 6:30PM Description: If you are a local grower or consumer feel free to come to attend the Grow Food Grow Hope Food Policy Council Meeting. We will discuss the current food related issues in Clinton County. Where: Wilmington College For more information contact Tony Staubach at [email protected]
School Lessons
Thursday, October 24 at 10:00am-11:45am (New Vienna Elementary) Thursday, October 31 at 2:00pm-3:40pm (Clinton Massie) Tuesday, November 5 10:00am-11:45am (Clinton Massie) Description GFGH will be going to ClintonMassie Elementary and New Vienna Elementary to set-up stations and a short interactive presentation. We will need volunteers to help run the stations and work with children. Where: Meet at Wilmington College Transportation will be provided by Wilmington College for interested Volunteers. How can I get more information: Interested volunteers can ask Micaela Wright at [email protected] or [email protected]
E V E N T S
GFGH:
Food Hub
Tallia McCormick, 2013 Fall Associate
Grow Food Grow Hope was lucky enough to receive an $8,000 grant to work with food access beginning in January of 2014. This grant, specifically for this purpose, means a lot to Grow Food Grow Hope. Working with food access is the first step in developing a Food Hub would benefit more than just Grow Food Grow Hope, but locally it could benefit a lot of organizations, growers, and especially consumers, throughout Clinton County. A Food Hub is a self-sustaining way to continue production locally. Therefore the main goal is to support small town farmers (Wilmington has a lot of them) as well as our gardens, and the people that we support who garden in them too. “Food hubs present an opportunity for communities to make healthy food sourcing a profitable enterprise for producers, distributors, and retailers simultaneously, while improving access to local foods.“ This is vital to any community of course, but especially to Wilmington. Our town has suffered tremendously over the past few years, and whether we like to think about it or not many families have been forced to eat less or eat unhealthy food. Although a food hub sounds identical to a farmer’s market it is not. The major difference is
that a Food Hub works with growers directly to aggregate and distribute large quantities of food; they serve as a single point. So there is a single drop-off as well as a place to pick up the food that is being distributed to consumers. A Food Hub would be vital to Grow Food Grow Hope because it would increase the number of consumers that we serve throughout Southwest Ohio. The grant came from Clinton County Foundation. Their generosity continues to provide a way for Grow Food Grow Hope to serve Clinton County’s local food economy and stay true to our mission. It is our goal at Grow Food Grow Hope to keep the community healthy and well fed, and this will simply enhance our chances of doing this for the long run. Overall the grant to GFGH is more meaningful than words could describe. It is amazing that such a small community can pull together to support one another. We cannot wait to see where the food hub will take us in our community!
Wilmington College Work Program
Tallia McCormick, Samantha Kremer, Micaela Wright, 2013 Fall Associates
This year Wilmington College has stared an entirely new program which has assisted Grow Food Grow Hope in filling the roles left by our AmeriCorps VISTA members. Three incoming freshmen students; Micaela Wright, Samantha Kremer and Tallia McCormick, have been selected to work in the Grow Food Grow Hope office. By doing this they are not only helping the office with tasks in need of being done, but they are also receiving a small portion of their tuition off, not to mention tremendous volunteer opportunities. Each of them is in charge of a specific area and have already helped with the Farm to Table Dinner, and are beginning planning their own events. My name is Tallia McCormick, and I am in charge of Public Relations this academic year. I was born and raised in Clinton County, specifically Wilmington. Although my grandfather, Mike McCormick, was raised on a farm as a boy and has been a farmer his whole life, (as well as a preacher, alongside my grandmother Nancy McCormick,) I have never really been good at the whole farming thing. So when I found out that I was working in the GFGH offices I immediately thought of the gardens and was overwhelmed from the beginning. Gladly, and to my surprise, however, I was placed in charge of Community Outreach and my job actually suits me quite well. I have found that my area of expertise definitely falls under event planning and the contacting of other people, specifically for larger events. I especially like fundraising events, so it turns out this office was probably the best place I could have ended up. Being in this program has already taught me a lot about an office workplace, as well as an outdoorsworkplace, and I am very thankful for that. It has taught me to be adaptable with wherever I might end up, I am sure there are people out there that have a plan that leads them to exactly the place they had in mind, and these people are probably very organized people that are very in-tune with themselves. I, however, have come to find that I am not one of these people (those lucky people), so it is most definitely to my greater benefit that I landed this position. I will probably use the skills I learn from it for a very long time, if not for the rest of my life. Plus the office at GFGH really is an amazing one, filled with truly amazing people, that are very passionate about everything they do. This place is full of life and a want to help others in their every day lives, and it is so inspiring to come into work knowing I will be surrounded with this kind of attitude. I am so thankful that I ended up here. The fall season is upon us and with a new season and school year, comes many new faces. My name is Samantha Kremer and I am a freshman at
Wilmington College, involved in our brand new Work Program. I am from Versailles, Ohio, which is a little less than an hour and a half northwest of Wilmington in good ol’ Darke County. I come from a family farm, where we raise brood cows, turkeys, and horses. We also farm approximately 600 acres of wheat, corn, soybeans, hay, and sorghum. My family owns the local feed mill and grain elevator in Versailles and it has been in the family for the past 40 years. I have a passion for agriculture and would love to go back to the family operations once I am done with my schooling. I am pursuing a degree in agriculture with a concentration in agricultural business. Using the skills I have learned at college, I hope to go back to the family feed mill, join in on the operations and to one day become an investor. Currently, I am the accounting assistant and I hope to become the operations manager someday. In 2011, my grandpa passed away after a long battle with cancer. He truly was the backbone of the company and his passion and love for the company really showed me what agriculture was all about. It is because of my grandpa that I am pursuing a degree in agriculture with a concentration in agricultural business.
deners can harvest this fall with their cool season vegetables. Being new to this, I had no clue that anyone planted things in the fall besides winter wheat, (for you farmers out there)! Hope everyone has a safe fall season and of course, happy gardening! My name is Micaela Wright. I am the Youth Outreach Student Associate for Grow Food Grow Hope at Wilmington College. Some of my duties include providing lessons about gardening to children at K-5 schools in our area. I help to coordinate other children’s activities as well. My goal is to help educate children on the basics of gardening. My family has had a garden my whole life and it has taught me about growing my own food and how it is important to know where my food comes from. It is very important to teach children these basic concepts.
This is my first year at Wilmington College and also my first year working with Grow Food Grow Hope, and I am very excited about the youth programs that we have. I am looking forward to going to schools to teach children some gardening basics and about where their food comes from. I am also very excited for the children’s garden that we will have in the spring at the Friends of I am currently serving as the Grow Food Grow Hope Hope Community Garden. I look forward to working Garden Manager Student Associate. My job consists of with the kids because it is rewarding to see how much managing 40 community gardens at the Friends of Hope fun they have learning and participating in activities. gardens. The Friends of Hope gardens are located on the Wilmington College campus behind the Pyle Center. Here at Wilmington College I am pursuing a double maThe position as Grow Food Grow Hope Garden Manager jor in Agriculture (with an Animal Science concentration) and Spanish with a minor in Sustainability and I hope to Student Associate is all new to this girl because I was get my Master’s degree. My current plans are to benever really around small gardening. Coming from a farm, I am used to planting acres and acres of corn, soy- come an animal nutritionist, but I am also interested in beans, etc., but, I am not used to planting a 12 foot by 4 helping promote sustainable agriculture to help feed foot raised bed. I am very new to this type of gardening the world. Therefore, I am excited about this job and the opportunities that it has for me to gain experience. I so please be patient with me throughout the growing have a passion to help others learn about growing their seasons. Feel free to drop by anytime to see what our gardeners are growing! Recently, our gardeners planted own food, teaching children about the food they eat, their cool season vegetables. These items include: kale, and helping to feed people in need so this job is a great fit for me. lettuce, onions, radishes, beets, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, mustard, and kohlrabi. I am excited to see what the gar-
Welcome to the Garden Patch; the Fall Season
Tony Staubach, Project Manager
Growing Food and Growing Hope is a year round operation. This year Grow Food Grow Hope has decided to again extend the garden season into the fall and provide a space for more than 20 gardeners to grow. This season 10 students and 13 community gardeners have decided to dig into the soil and see what our small 12x4 foot plots can yield in the cool growing season. Although the yields will likely be small for our gardeners this year they have remained enthusiastic.. For many of our students this is the first time they have been a part of a community garden and this is the first time they have gardened in the fall. Seeing anything come up is a treasure to most of them. In addition to gardening at our Friends of Hope Garden, gardeners in Cincinnati at the New St. John Baptist Church are about to harvest some of their fall crops. Grow Food Grow Hope has been working with New St. John Baptist since June to reestablish their community garden site. With the support of William Shoecraft, Wilmington College Trustee and Member of the Church, we have been able to work with a group of congregants to set up a maintenance schedule and assist them with their fall harvest.. The congregation has already harvested some collard greens and tomatoes. With some good luck and a lot of hard work the congregation will soon harvest basil and cabbage. Throughout the fall and the winter Grow Food Grow Hope will continue to support all of our gardeners, but this spring some agencies, who have received the assistance of Grow Food Grow Hope for multiple years, will be asked to take on their project on their own so that Grow Food Grow Hope can continue to Spread the Gardens. Spread the Gardens (#spreadthegardens) is tag line associated with our new assistance application process. Beginning this winter agencies who are interested in receiving the assistance of Grow Food Grow Hope will be able to apply for our services. We will pick three new agencies this spring and will do our best to serve them in any way possible. For more information about our Spread the Gardens initiative please visit growfoodgrowhope.com and look for the Get Involved link at the top of the page. From here you can learn more about how you can get involved with Grow Food Grow Hope and how you can Spread the Gardens.
Summer Associate Experiences: 2013
Tallia McCormick, Fall Associate 2013
The Fall season is back once again and here at the GFGH offices we are all excited to begin a new season. But we can’t forget about our Summer season so soon! Just a little over a month ago the offices here were full of excited college students that loved it here so much they wanted to come help during the Summer. Like many places, there is so much here that goes on behind the scenes. There’s always weeding and cleaning to be done; Kasey Cottrell. Plus we even build greenhouses; Jake Greer, Kyle Marsh, and Josh York. But sometimes we do things for fun in preparation for events, like organize scarecrow contests, even when we’re sick, Kassandra If you ever have been in Cottrell. Occasionally we go to Cincinnati and check out the the offices or have worked here then you know about the plots we hope to have there time cards. You also know that someday; Josh York, Kristin there is a small space for you Finkbeiner, and Christina Ledto share what exactly you ac- ington. complished throughout the But if we’re really lucky, day. So the decision has been like Whitney Rymer, we get to made to use what the Sumgo get the compost for the mer Associate’s wrote there, gardens! Plus every now and so we can fill you all in on then someone one loves it what being an Associate here here and they just can’t stop is all about. coming back. Joe Njeru was not only a Summer Associate, but is involved in the Fall season as well, and has taken on much more responsibility in the office. The Summer Associates were a tremendous benefit to GFGH and everything that was accomplished over the season is of course a big thanks to them! It might be a little house across from a big building, but the GFGH offices really do so much. Anyone that has ever been involved, whether in a little way or a large way is always welcome back. There is always work to be done and the Summer Associates knew it. They did a great job and they had a wonderful time in the process. Much thanks to them, and good luck this academic year!
SEASON EXTENSION
THE SCOOP:
By moving hardy plants into your bed as your summer crops start to wither, you can eat fresh vegetables for at least 9 months out of the year, no problem. The key is having a good plan. A well planned garden with regular successive plantings will allow you to have a steady harvest well into November. A poorly planned garden, will leave you with an irregular and sporadic harvest that are not very satisfying. You’ll find yourself sometimes taking home a lot but most of the times taking home nothing at all. Having an underproductive garden is one of the key points that keep gardeners from coming back the next season. Instead of deciding to work through the fall and continue to develop their growing skills, they decide to take what they can get from their tomatoes and call it quits. All we can say to those people is, “You don’t know what you’re missing!” A fall garden can be one of the most productive of the growing season. Cooler temperatures will allow plants like lettuce, leafy greens, root crops and the brassicas to thrive. Better yet, fall crops don’t need as much care. They get by on less water, have less weeds to deal with and, often times, most of the bugs that give us fits in the summer have died off. We can even add things like winter squash and pumpkins to our plots as move out our larger summer crops as they become unproductive and start to die out. The secret for a good fall garden is in the timing. With our smaller leafy greens and lettuces, we can simply continue to succession plant like we’ve been doing all season. But with our larger plants, (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, squash and pumpkins) we are going to need to start them as transplants in mid to late-July and move them into our beds as the space begins to open up. The best thing about a fall garden? Impressing all your family members gathered around the Thanksgiving table with your specialty greens harvested just that morning!
BEATING THE FROST
Most hardy plants can tolerate temperatures just above freezing without a problem. But, sometimes even a light early frost can burn your plants. Here are some of simple solutions that any gardener can use to keep the cold out and help extend their season as long as possible. Hoop Houses Hoop Houses, or low tunnels, are made up of plastic sheeting stretched over PVC pipe or a mesh cage and made to arch over your bed. A Hoop House allows you to keep your bed, well insulated, well managed and aerated long into the fall growing season without any worry of frost damage. 2-liter bottles Most of the time plants can tolerate cooler air. It’s the frost settling on their leaves that causes the most damage. The worsts frosts occur when mild day time temperatures plunge in the evenings causing the moisture in the air to freeze. That’s the kind of day when scraping your windshield is the worst. If we think one of those days might be coming and that some of our smaller plants are in danger, we can cut a plastic 2-liter bottle in half and place it over our plant in the evening. That should preserve the humidity within the bottle and protect it from overnight frost damage. Frost Cloth/Floating Row Cover There is definitely nothing fancy about a frost cloth. Most frost cloths are cotton bed sheets that are laid overtop larger plants to protect them from overnight frost damage. The cotton collects the moisture in the air so that it doesn’t settle on your plants and freeze. Only use a frost cloth if your plants are mature enough to stand on their own. Even a light sheet will get heavy as it picks up moisture overnight and if your plants aren’t sturdy enough, it might cause them some damage.
Thank You
Grow Food Grow Hope
Farm to Table Sponsors!
Your generosity at the 2013 Farm to Table Dinner has helped Grow Food Grow Hope raise nearly $5,000. This money will be used to support our current initiatives and work to increase access to fresh food for families regardless of economic opportunity.
Mark Your Calendars for September 18, 2014 to attend the Farm to Table Dinner next year!
Presenting Sponsors
Sodexo Premier Feeds Bush Auto Place Student Sponsors
Table Sponsors
Cape May Retirement Village EMSAR, Inc. Peelle Law Offices Co.
Mary Ellen Krisher Jim Miller/ Buckley, Miller & Wright Attys. John Bullar Rebecca Morehouse Tim Buren/ The Buren Insurance Group National Bank & Trust Clinton Memorial Hospital Sandy and Tom Neville Corey and Tate Cockerill Randy Sarvis Mark Denniston James H. Schairbaum to Table Dinner 2014 Announced Jim and RuthFarm Ann Faris Brian Smith/ Smith-Feike-Minton, Inc. Lee Heironymus Sam Stratman James and Laura Hobart Roy Joe and Ruthie Stuckey McDonald’s Peggy Sturdivant Eric Kline Clifton Washington Christopher Kraus/ Temple Sholom
Sites and Agencies 2013
Blanchester School District– Blanchester, Ohio– Youth Programming Clinton Massie School District– Clarksville, Ohio– Youth Programming Clinton County Compeer– Wilmington, Ohio– Programs & Gardening East Clinton Local Schools– Sabina, Ohio– Youth Programming Friends of Hope– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Girls Scouts– Wilmington, Ohio– Youth Programming New St John Baptist ChurchCincinnati, Ohio– Community Garden Northland Court Apartments– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Ohio Farm Bureau– Columbus, Ohio– Display at Ohio State Fair Prairie View Apartments– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Quaker Apartments– Wilmington, Ohio– Community Garden Solutions Counseling Center– Wilmington, Ohio– Youth Gardening Sugartree Ministries– Wilmington, Ohio– Produce Donation Temple SholomCincinnati, Ohio– Community Garden Westboro United Methodist Church– Midland, Ohio– Community Garden Wilmington City School District– Wilmington, Ohio– Youth Programming
937-382-661 ext. 321
www.growfoodgrowhope.com
[email protected]
Continue supporting Grow Food Grow Hope
Grow Food Grow Hope strives to increase the access of fresh food for families, raise awareness of the benefits of local food production and increase self sustainability in local food habits regardless of economic
With $100, Grow Food Grow Hope can provide a family of four with a garden plot that produces 200 lbs. of produce each year saving $250, and a mentor that can guide each family through the growing process. You can make a donation by calling 937-382-6661 or visit growfoodgrowhope.com and click on Get Involved! Grow Food, Grow Hope 1145 Pyle Center 1870 Quaker Way Wilmington, OH 45177 [email protected]
