Dear Friends,
On April 4th, the first Saturday of the month, the Food Share will be hosting a spring garden fair that will unite the community around a common cause, and that is to develop a system of access for the plentiful garden skill building and growing opportunities made available through the Sustainable Community Gardens Network.
This network, orchestrated by Marion Polk Food Share, consists of community garden coordinators, teachers, farmers, master gardeners, volunteers, businesses, the faith community, government officials, and more, and we will all be gathering this day to meet and greet the community that is interested in learning more about the gardens program.
Our goal is to reach out and engage folks and families that are interested in learning more about how gardening can improve the health, self-reliance and sustainability of our region. With this in mind, our outreach plan includes connecting with the Salem-Keizer School District and WIC participants, among other community partnerships. Our intention is to target the community of Salem-Keizer, and in this first year we hope to have the participation of at least 200 families. We feel positive that we can meet this level of participation, thanks in large part to the necessity and innovation of growing our own food as a community.
This is a request for you to all help spread the word about the first annual spring community garden fair through your personal networks. We invite your participation in this years’ fair, and have high hopes that it will come together successfully as we build a foundation for garden fairs in years to come.
Thank you for your support as we lead the fight to end hunger in our community.
Sincerely,
Jordan Blake – Marion Polk Food Share Garden Project Manager
P.P.S. When you have the time, please check out www.livingcultureonline.com for a peak at a recently televised program on CCTV about the gardens program.
MPFS Community Gardens Program Calendar:
GARDEN PLANNING SESSION + POTLUCK
On Monday, March 16th from 6-8pm we will be meeting at Marion Polk Food Share to discuss garden projects. This is a potluck, and all are welcome.
Rain Water Harvesting Workshop with OSU Extension Sustainable Communities
On Saturday, March 21st from 9:00am to noon, we will be working at the 19th St Neighborhood Garden in SE Salem (between Bellevue and Oak – just off of Mission) to implement a rainwater catchment system off of the garden shed. We will also be working to tidy up and process the lumber for a gazebo project and last but not least, we will plant some seeds.
First Annual Spring Community Garden Fair
Saturday, April 4th 2009, 1 - 5pm at Marion/Polk Food Share, 1660 Salem Industrial Drive NE, Salem 97301
Note: This year, the Fair offers a special morning program open to our program volunteers and partners:
9am – RAW FOOD JUICING SEMINAR
10am—Volunteer Leadership and Community Garden Coordinator Training
12noon—Community Luncheon
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