FALL 2011 URBAN GARDENING ISSUE #76
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Urban Gardening A
In This Issue 2 Volunteer in the Spotlight 3 Community Garden in the Spotlight 4-5 City Seeds Urban Farm 5 Fall Medley Soup 6 The Garden: Urban / Rural 7 Integrated Pest Management 7 Fall Workshops 8 Events 9 Ahead of the CUHRP 9 2012 Community Garden Grant 10 Become a Member 10 Thank You to Our Sponsors 11 Our New & Renewing Members 11 Gateway Greening Staff & Board
A Letter From Our Board Chair Greetings! A very wet spring followed by a very hot summer has jump-started the growing season for Gateway Greening gardeners, both at our numerous community gardens and at the urban farm. The Farmer’s markets are in full force (see our City Seeds Urban Farmers at the Tower Grove Farmer’s Market each Saturday morning) and vegetables are adding great flavor and healthy choices to many menus. Flowering shrubs and other plantings are adding great beauty to the landscapes surrounding the gardens. The growing season for the Gateway Greening is well upon us. As many of you know, Gwenne Hayes-Stewart, our executive director for more than 15 years, has retired. We wish Gwenne and her family well as she begins the next season in her life. The board of Gateway Greening is carefully considering the talents required of a new executive director. We will be looking for someone to guide the organization through our anticipated growth as a result of renewed interest in healthy eating, growing food for personal consumption, food security and locally grown produce. Opportunities continue to present themselves as the economy improves, along with the weather. Our wonderful and capable staff under the leadership of Mara Higdon, Program Director, has provided seamless program services to all who depend on Gateway Greening. New gardens have been installed, the annual Great Perennial Divide was a tremendous success and the Urban Roots Market Street median and Kiener Plaza plantings are flourishing. Our Tour de Plants bike ride and garden tour attracted many, despite the heat, and the Solstice with the Stars event was another rousing success.
Publication
Planning for our signature event, Chefs in a Garden, is underway. Join us on Sunday, September 18th at the Palladium to celebrate Gateway Greening’s accomplishments, to honor Gwenne Hayes-Stewart and to sample some of the best offerings of local chefs as they prepare tasty recipes featuring vegetables grown in our community gardens. We appreciate the support of all the Master Gardeners and other volunteers, as well as our individual, corporate and foundation funders, whose efforts make Gateway Greening the best at what we do. Loura M. Gilbert Board Chair A Letter from Our Program Director Gateway Greening’s 14th Annual Fundraiser, Chefs in a Garden, is approaching quickly. Twelve of St. Louis’ finest chefs will prepare tasty fare made from locally sourced farm and garden produce. The event will be held at the Palladium in Lafayette Square on September 18th from 6pm-9pm. Proceeds will benefit all of Gateway Greening’s programs. This event will also serve to highlight the wonderful work that you, our gardeners, volunteers, and donors do for this region, with a special emphasis this year on youth gardens. With your continued commitment, financial contribution, and most importantly, hard work (read sweat equity) to improve our community, Gateway Greening projects will continue to grow and have an increased impact on our environment, access to healthy fresh food and overall health. We are celebrating you! Salud! -Mara Higdon Program Director
FALL 2011 URBAN GARDENING ISSUE # 76
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GATEWAY GREENING
VOLUNTEERS
VOLUNTEER IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
RON STEVENS
There’s a shared understanding among St. Louis area garden nonprofits and parks that we all know Ron Stevens, and none of us could get by without him (or at least not with so much fun!). He seems to be everywhere at once, never tiring of the next volunteer opportunity. Perhaps this thirst for action and mobility stems from his ‘on the go’ roots. Born in LaGrange, GA, Ron moved to Belgrade, MO, when he was about 5 years old. A fire destroyed his first house and everything in it, and might well have taught him at an early age how to take struggles in stride. The family moved to St. Louis City, including several different neighborhoods over the years. At every community garden installation he attends, we joke that Ron used to live down the street, and more often than not, it’s true! Ron once lived on Maple St., Oregon Ave., Lafayette Ave., Tennessee Ave., Jamieson Ave., Oleatha Ave., Loughborough Ave., and now lives in South St. Louis County in Oakville. It’s no wonder that he seems to feel at home wherever he goes!
As a young man, Ron was drafted into the Army in 1966 and served in Vietnam before working for an auto parts company, Terminal Railroad, the State of Missouri and the United Postal Service, where he retired in 2005. Most of the work was fast-paced and physical. Ron attributes his unwavering work ethic and positive attitude to his father, who always tried to finish a project to the best of his ability and must have had bad days, but “no one knew them.” His love for gardening, however, was cultivated by his mother, an excellent gardener who taught all of her children how to plant and care for the family’s Belgrade garden. Ron started volunteering more than a decade ago at Missouri Botanical Garden and with Flora Conservancy in Forest Park. In 2000, a work buddy told him about the Master Gardener Program and convinced him to apply, and by 2001, he was an official Master Gardener. Ron initially met the Gateway Greening gang while volunteering with downtown civic greening program, Urban Roots,
where he was recruited to help with the Community Garden Program’s Selection Committee. His participation in the committee has involved community outreach, gardening technical assistance, garden installations, and many morale-boosting hugs! In addition to GGI’s Urban Roots and Community Garden programs, Ron now volunteers with GGI’s Youth Garden Program, including the Growing Healthy Kids daycare garden program building gardens in both in-home childcare facilities and centers. He says he particularly enjoys installing school and community gardens, because it He seems reminds him of the days to be his family gardened to- everywhere gether. The only thing get- at once, yet ting in Ron’s way of a never tires wheelbarrow has been of the next his tendency towards accidents. Several years volunteer ago, he almost lost a opportunity. finger in a pot recycling accident, and in 2009, he slipped off an icy porch while trying to save a neighbor’s dog from freezing to death and broke his right ankle which required surgery to install plates and screws to hold the tibia and fibula bones together. In November 2010, he had ankle fusion surgery to alleviate pain and regain stability and strength but sacrificed all mobility of the ankle. The newly transformed ‘Robot Ron’ has since returned to all of his volunteer positions with a limited schedule and says it’s great to be gardening again. Welcome back home to the gardens, Ron! -Hannah Reinhart Community Development Coordinator
FALL 2011 URBAN GARDENING ISSUE #76 COMMUNITY
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GARDENS
COMMUNITY GARDEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
GARDEN OF LIFE When Resurrection Presbyterian Church was getting ready to begin meeting in the fall of 2009, the thought of a vegetable garden had not entered anyone’s mind. And yet by the summer, the children were bursting out of the Sunday morning service to fill their arms with harvested lima beans, with smiles on their faces and dirt on their Sunday clothes. The garden was one of those unexpected things, which simply fell right into place; something which no one had planned, but which made perfect sense once it was there. Resurrection Presbyterian Church was a brand new church, seeking to live out a mission of loving God and loving their neighbors in Carondelet. When they began looking for a place to meet, they were welcomed in to share the facilities of a 150 year old Lutheran congregation called St. Trinity. As Resurrection settled in, everyone’s eyes were on the beautiful, old church building and facilities. No one paid much attention to the small patch of grass next to the sanctuary. No one except for Dennis Potter. Potter was not a member of either church, but rather a local gardener who had set up several gardens with the assistance of Gateway Greening. Noting that St. Trinity ran a food pantry in cooperation with St. Stephen’s Catholic Church (and now with some assistance from Resurrection), Dennis approached the pastors with an idea: a garden on the church’s property to grow fresh, local produce, to be given away to those in need in the neighborhood. It did not take long for the churches to see how perfectly this garden fit with their mission in Carondelet. The church members professed to follow a God of generous kindness, who gives gifts far beyond what is expected or hoped for. Having experienced that generosity and wanting to show it to others, they decided to put in the extra work
required to give not just what was left over in their kitchen pantries or on sale at the store, but freshly picked, high-quality vegetables that surpassed what could be bought in the supermarket. As the church signed on, Dennis connected with Gateway Greening and began the process of applying for a grant. The church prepared for the garden, and soon word came that Gateway Greening had given a generous grant to get the garden started. By March, eight raised beds and a long berm were assembled and planted with vegetables. A few months later the okra, tomatoes, cucumbers, Lima beans and more were being gathered. By the end of the season over 350 pounds of produce had been harvested. All of it was given to the food pantry – where it flew out the door and onto tables throughout the neighborhood. In this coming growing season, Resurrection has doubled its growing capacity through an expansion grant from Gateway Greening. Broccoli,
carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, potatoes, strawberries, blackberries and herbs have already been planted and will soon be joined by okra, eggplant, squash and zucchini. It won’t be long before Sunday clothes streaked with dirt, and little arms filled with fresh harvest are a common sight on a Sunday morning at Resurrection once again. And those vegetables will make their way from the children’s arms to the food pantry’s counters and then to our neighbors’ tables. And hopefully, in the process, everyone involved will get just a small taste of the goodness and generosity of God – whose people planted a garden. -Steven Nicoletti Garden of Life
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CITY SEEDS
URBAN FARM
CITY SEEDS URBAN FARM:
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
“Just the other day, my sister looked at me and said, ‘I’m proud of you’. All my friends and family call me ‘the good guy’,” says big-grinned Willie McFarland, a spring 2010 Go Green Graduate. Willie works full-time at Horstmann Brothers Gardening and Landscape Services. He now has a five month old daughter, a son “Junior” on the way, an apartment and dreams of owning his own landscape business. “It’s the coolest thing, who knew I’d be digging in the dirt? It’s a tool for my livelihood…I’ve found something.” When asked how his experience in the employ-
NOTES
FROM THE FARM:
AN UPDATE ON CITY SEEDS URBAN FARM
ment training program has affected him, Willie commented, “By me going to Go Green – I can do anything. I got a basic knowledge…there’s no time to explain everything in the field, and I know they [Horstmann] have more confidence in my abilities.” Willie started off spending time in the military and then pursued job corps and brief employment at the St. Louis Art Museum. It became difficult to make ends meet and he soon began dealing drugs. “Drug dealing is just as addictive as using, cause you get used to the lifestyle and the respect.” Eventually, he was convicted of trafficking and possession by both the state and federal court and spent the next 8 years in prison. He was eventually released to the Dismas House of St. Louis. His Parole Officer said that he had better find a job or risk being sent back to prison. The Reach Program through St. Patrick Center referred him to the Go Green program at the City Seeds Urban Farm. “At first, it was like…yeah, right.” Willie was very vocal about the fact that he did not want to be there and was not ‘feeling’ the program at the beginning. Slowly Willie underwent a complete transformation.
“By the end, I looked forward to it. I liked the learning experience, step by step, and the people made it fun – I could clown. By me going to Go Green, I can do anything – I’m versatile.” When asked what words of wisdom he had for future clients, Willie responded “Give it a chance, don’t come in with a closed mind. I would’ve missed out on a lot of opportunity. Before it was just about money, now I know there are some things that are more important. Now I’m blessed and happy to have this entertainment and joy [his family]…it’s my motivation to continue on this path. Just hanging out and watching the silly faces my daughter makes, changing her pampers and holding her as she pulls on my ears is so fun,.. just watching her grow.” Willie has since returned many times to City Seeds to aid in employer training sessions for the new groups. His frank and often humorous testimonials have given multiple clients hope that are recently released from prison, lacking job skills and struggling to make major life changes. You rock, Willie! -Annie Mayrose Urban Agriculture Manager
The people and plants are cooking, literally! Seasons have changed marking the graduation of 19 people through both the therapeutic and employment groups. Staff, volunteers and interns have also undergone transition as Ariel Buback has left Gateway Greening and moved to St. Joseph, Missouri. Bob, one of our Americorps Vista Volunteers has broken his collarbone, two interns have finished their summer projects and Annie will soon be on maternity leave.
Other recent changes include Gateway Greening and St. Patrick Center revising the City Seeds Mission Statement to….City Seeds Urban Farm is an urban agriculture initiative providing job training and therapeutic horticulture to individuals who are homeless and underserved. A collaboration of several local organizations, City Seeds Urban Farm produces and distributes affordable, healthy, locally grown produce. It’s never boring on the farm with all the
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CITY SEEDS
URBAN FARM training, food production and on-going projects! In 2011, new endeavors like a rain garden, native buffalo grass demo lawn, improved composting system and hawk platform are some of the exciting additions to City Seeds. The first ever Shamrock Advisory Board meeting occurred in early July. This session marked the first of a series of meetings to reconnect with previous participants to determine the long term impact of the program. Collectively, four years of firsthand client program experience was represented! We asked many questions and received some excellent and insightful feedback. Here is a snapshot, “…I was in drug court and this was a way to fulfill my time with something
useful…to give me a chance to refocus and really think about my life.” “It’s a beautiful thing…an awakening.” “There was nothing I didn’t like.” Another first was marked by the Shamrock field trip to Food Outreach. Ten clients toured the facility and learned about where their harvest goes and then participated in the processing of greens for distribution to Food Outreach clients dealing with HIV/AIDS or cancer. City Seeds was also featured in videos for NPR’s Harvest Media and the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s website. -Annie Mayrose Urban Agriculture Manager
THE NATURAL &
neighborhoods and cities that surrounded me. I have experienced this environment through sketching and photography, the formal study of design and practicing in the field of architecture and planning. Working with architects and urban planners, I have gained an acute awareness of how people experience the built environment. I joined Gateway Greening with a passion for how people experience both the natural and built environments. Focusing on low income neighborhoods, Gateway Greening works with the parts of a city that most people tend not to focus on. These built environments are sometimes crumbling, abandoned or demolished, and the natural environments are sometimes dirty, decaying or out of sync with nature. Gateway Greening has helped to reconstruct these neighborhoods as environments dedicated to the health and well being of both the people they work with and the environment they work in. Working primarily with City Seeds Urban Farm, I am learning how the farm is part of both the natural and built environments. It merges with the natural environment as part of the natural process of vegetative growth. It weaves into the built environment by becoming part of the urban fabric that is the city. I’m excited to be a part of the experience of creating healthier natural and built environments. -Bob Kocher Americorps VISTA City Seeds Urban Farm
BUILT ENVIRONMENTS
Welcoming Bob Kocher, Americorps VISTA for City Seeds Urban Farm. Growing up in Buffalo, NY, I had a strong interest in the natural environment. I was curious about the trees, the animals and the landscapes that surrounded me. I would experience this environment in any way I could whether by climbing trees on a windy day, searching lakes for turtles or staring in awe at the distant mountains. I took notice at an early age of how people experience the natural environment. As my interest in the environment developed into a fascination with the built environment, I pursued the study of architecture and planning at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. I was intrigued by the buildings,
FALL MEDLEY
SOUP Adapted from: Chef Patrick O’Connell www. theinnatlittlewashington.com This soup utilizes a variety of fall produce, including rutabaga and apples, resulting in a delightfully complex flavor and a velvety texture. Enjoy as the days grow shorter and colder. Ingredients 1 stick (1/4 pound) butter 1 cup onion, roughly chopped 1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 1 cup rutabaga, peeled and roughly chopped 1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped 1 cup carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped 1 quart good chicken stock 2 cups heavy cream (substitute plain yogurt for a lighter variation) 1/4 cup maple syrup Salt, cayenne pepper and nutmeg to taste Garnish options: cream, plain yogurt, cayenne pepper, parsley or nutmeg. Preparation In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, apple, rutabaga, squash, carrots and sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until all of the vegetables are cooked through and tender. Puree the vegetables using a blender, food processor or immersion blender. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into the same pot you used to cook the vegetables (this step is optional). Add the cream, maple syrup, salt and cayenne pepper. Return the pot to the stove, bring the soup to a simmer, garnish and serve.
FALL 2011 URBAN GARDENING ISSUE # 76 COMMUNITY
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GARDENS
THE GARDEN:
RURAL / URBAN
Surroundings usually blur into our daily lives and become backdrops to a routine. I have had the clarifying privilege these past six months of changing my surroundings since moving to St. Louis. Coming from a small farm in northern Minnesota to St. Louis, I am constantly reminded of the differences in how we interact with food and our surrounding communities. Both have presented challenges and successes that show the passion people have for providing fresh, healthy produce to their families and neighbors. Rural concerns taken for granted such as fertile land and space are not issues that are forgotten
about in an urban environment. In fact, they are usually the first concern of community gardeners, and rightfully so. Land that has been built upon multiple times carries with it remnants of the past. Still, solutions are found, raised beds are constructed and people wanting to not only eat healthier but make a positive change in the community follow the opportunity. Unlike rural areas, urban community gardens are collective entities, a mash-up of personalities and beliefs. This is what makes them unique. Not only do they provide fresh vegetables and facilitate health benefits for those involved, they create
welcoming community spaces and grow support networks in neighborhoods. People are the focus. Rural landscapes promote growing as a lifestyle, a business, a way of life. Community and urban gardens breathe revival, new life and change. They transform forgotten space into a symbol of fellowship. I have found that it’s the people and communities that grow, not just the contents of their gardens. -Matt Evan Americorps VISTA Community Outreach
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GARDENS
TIPS: INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT Around this time of year, everyone is concerned about how to deal with pests in the garden. However, the best way to deal with them is to plan early on how to avoid these kinds of problems rather than deal with them once they are visible. There are some things that we hear every year, yet they are worth hearing again to remind us. There are also some good strategies that you may be unfamiliar with that you could adopt now. Keep the following on your mind when in the garden: • When watering, always try to keep the water on the root zone. The leaves of most vegetables (especially warm-season ones) don’t like to stay wet for very long. • Check both sides of the leaves. Bugs are smart, and they’re not going to hang out where you can see them. Egg masses will congregate on the undersides of leaves. Discard them quickly! • Rotation, rotation, rotation. A lot of gardeners want to blame anything else (soil, weather, bugs) for certain diseases and pests. Get familiar with the family your plants belong to and don’t put relatives in the same spot every year. • Maintain a clean garden. When leaves and other plant debris fall to the soil, remove promptly. Leaving these around will just cause problems. Also, keep beds weeded. Bugs love to hide out in weedy areas. Cultivate early and often, or use thick organic mulches (leaf mold is great) to keep down weeds and maintain moisture. • If it’s rainy and muddy outside, pull a garden book off the shelf and read. Working in those conditions will only transmit nasty viruses from the soil to your plants. • Consider pest exclusion early, when transplanting or putting seeds into the ground. If you know you have a rabbit problem, set up your poultry fence barrier before seeding. The tender seedlings will be gone before you get
anything edible. If you’ve noticed seedlings nibbled down overnight, you might have cutworms under the soil surface. Stick a collar (such as a bottomless tuna can or paper coffee cup) around the seedling 1” into the soil. • Floating row covers, while not pretty, will keep the majority of flying insects and animal pests away from your veggies. It looks like cheesecloth, and lets in everything else (sun, air, water) except the bad guys. While not easy to find locally, searching online will give you many options. Communally invest in a roll for the whole garden to use. • Encourage beneficial insects and predators into your garden: plant members of the Carrot and Mint families, as well as other herbs, and let them flower; keep small pools of water during times of drought; provide some permanent plantings for habitat; limit excessive tilling and broad-spectrum pesticides; leave some pests for beneficials to snack on. • Do your homework, and be a good detective. When you see a problem, don’t run to the nearest hardware store for a general bug spray. Determine what might have caused the problem you are now seeing. Is it one plant, or all of the same plant? Are there noticeable insects flying to your affected plant? Have you recently used a synthetic pesticide elsewhere in the garden? Has the temperature been extreme (drought, heat, humidity, cold)? All these are good indicators of what might be the over arching issue. Two books on our shelf that are essential are “The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control” and “Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening”, both by Rodale Press. -Ryan Barker Community Educator
FALL WORKSHOPS
Currently the best place to find out what workshops will be held at Bell Demonstration Garden, as well as other locations around the St. Louis area, is through the E-Newsletter that typically gets emailed on Thursdays. If you are not currently included in this e-newsletter, visit gatewaygreening.org/ recent-news/email-newsletter-signup.html to sign up. Topics for upcoming workshops will include: sowing/harvesting fall crops; using row covers and cold frames for season extension; cover crops for soil enhancement; and fall garden bed maintenance. For more information, please contact Ryan Barker at ryan@gatewaygreening.org or 314-588-9600 x33.
CONNECT WITH WORKSHOPS AT www.gatewaygreening.org/recent-news/ email-newsletter-signup.html
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EVENTS September --------------------1st City Seeds Volunteer Orientation, 8am
at the farm on the 2200 block of Pine. RSVP to Hannah at 588-9600x28.
3rd Bell Garden closed in honor of Labor Day.
15th City Seeds Volunteer Orientation,
8am at the farm on the 2200 block of Pine. RSVP to Hannah at 588-9600x28.
18th Chefs in a Garden 21st Pints & Plants. 7pm-9pm at the
Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St. Topic TBD.
October --------------------1st City Seeds Field Day. Time TBD at City
Seeds Urban Farm on the 2200 block of Pine. Bring the whole family for a day of fun & games at the Farm’s open house. For more information contact bob@gatewaygreening.org
4th Growing Healthy Kids grant
applications become available for eligible daycare providers. Call Steve at 588-9600x24 for more information.
6th City Seeds Volunteer Orientation, 8am
at the farm on the 2200 block of Pine. RSVP to Hannah at 588-9600x28.
19th
Pints & Plants. 7pm-9pm at the Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St. Topic TBD.
20th City Seeds Volunteer Orientation, 8am at the farm on the 2200 block of Pine. RSVP to Hannah at 588-9600x28.
TBD
Urban Roots clean-up day, 8am on the south pedestrian walkway of Kiener Plaza. Help beautify downtown for the winter by pulling out its fading annuals!
28th Last Day at City Seeds 29th Harvest Fair and Costumed-
SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER 18TH CHEFS IN A GARDEN ------------------------Palladium St. Louis
Please join us for a delightful evening of fine dining as St. Louis’ top chefs prepare delectable dishes using the bounty of St. Louis area gardens. High quality wines and local microbrews will accompany dinner. Tickets: For ticket options visit www.gatewaygreening.org Featured Chefs Include: Ivy Magruder of Vin de Set, Bethany Budde of SqWires, Josh Galliano of Monarch, Jimmy Kristo of Jimmy’s On the Park, Tom Schmidt of Franco, and Jimmy Voss of Duffs.
Community Garden Bike Tour. Receive free garlic cloves for planting and enjoy live music and kid’s activities from 10am-1pm at Bell Garden! Please bring a side dish for the potluck and a pie if you would like to enter the pie contest. No other desserts, please! Optional free costumed community garden bike tour departs from Bell at 9am.
29th Last Tower Grove Farmers Market
November --------------------5th Last Day at Bell 11th Community Garden grant
applications due by 4:30pm. Late applications will not be considered.
December --------------------15th Gateway Greening Holiday Party A reminder to all 2011 New and Expansion Community Garden grant recipients: There is still plenty of time to complete the volunteer requirement of 30 hours per group. Please review these opportunities and contact us to schedule a volunteer event or get in touch with a neighborhood garden to finish your hours. Available opportunities: Help at Bell Garden (Saturday mornings only) Lend a hand to a garden near you Assist at City Seeds Urban Farm (M-F mornings only). Teach a class or workshop, make a newsletter contribution, or fun events like the Harvest Fair!
FALL 2011 URBAN GARDENING ISSUE #76 YO U T H
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PROGRAMS
AHEAD OF THE CUHRP Gardening activities are in full swing at several schools in the Ville Neighborhood. Gateway Greening has partnered with Washington University of Medicine to provide garden-based education to students from Cote Brilliante Elementary School, Stevens Middle School and Sumner High School. In addition to students from these three St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), youth from the Learning Tree Intergenerational Center, a center that provides care to children, seniors, and their families, will also be participating in educational garden activities. Participating students come from the schools’ science classes and two after school programs: After School for All Partnership’s Five Star program and Neighborhood Houses. Students have planted vegetables and have begun learning science lessons related to their garden activities. Lessons are tied to Missouri State Educational Standards and have an emphasis on nutrition and basic gardening skills. For example, students at Cote Brilliante Elementary have learned about the water cycle by doing activities related to watering their plants. Meanwhile, Sumner High School students are learning about the qualities of productive soil by performing their own soil tests. The day care students at the Learning
Tree are learning the simple but important lesson that plants come from seeds. The goal of the project, which is called Nourishing an Urban Community II, is to implement and evaluate school-based gardening, nutrition and physical activity programs. Staff and students from Washington University School of Medicine are leading a variety of activities that are meeting several goals of the SLPS Health and Wellness Plan. Activities include creating a nutrition cookbook based on parent submitted recipes, administering student health assessments and increasing recess participation through the use of a hip hop dance instructor. Gateway Greening staff members are leading the gardening aspect of the project by training SLPS teachers and after school staff in garden curricula. The trained staff members are then able to instruct students using the lesson plans and educational materials provided by Gateway Greening. All participating students receive a pre and post test on general gardening and health knowledge. The results of these surveys will provide important information on the results of garden-based education on students. An additional benefit of the gardening program is that students will experience fresh vegetables. Stu-
dents who are participating in the project through after school programs will be able to try their garden produce though the program’s after school snacks. Neighborhood Houses even has a “Tasty Tuesday,” which is a day devoted to having students experience delicious healthy foods. SLPS students will also be able to try garden produce during class time as experiential learning. The project is a St. Louis Community Urban Health Research Partnership, which is a program designed to provide focused research efforts on health care problems of importance in a community. The Ville was a targeted community because its residents have a disproportionately high mortality rate due to heart disease and diabetes and a reduced life expectancy compared to the City of St. Louis as a whole, Missouri, and the rest of the United States. Gateway Greening and our partners at Washington University hope that education about health, gardening and physical activity can be a step toward making The Ville a healthier community. -Steve Eigsti Youth Programs Coordinator
2012 COMMUNITY GARDEN
term and to apply for projects they are certain they can maintain. New community gardens must be within our service area to be eligible, which includes St. Louis City and the areas west to I-170, North to and East to the Mississippi River, with projects in underserved areas given priority. Selected projects will be awarded based on need and will be supported with materials such as raised beds, soil amendments, tools and other garden supplies. Important Dates Grant Orientations (New garden projects must attended ONE orientation session) September 28th, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Gateway Greening Office
September 29th, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Gateway Greening Office October 8th,10:00 - 11:00 am, Bell Community Garden, 3871 Bell Ave. Grant Applications Due November 11th 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Gateway Greening Office 2211 Washington Ave. To Request an Application or for more information contact: James F. Anderson, Community Garden Coordinator (314) 588-9600 ex. 30 james@gatewaygreening.org
GRANT AVAILABLE
Does your community garden have a waiting list? Do you have a great idea for an addition to your garden? Do you know of someone interested in starting their own community garden? Gateway Greening is pleased to announce that our 2012 Community Garden Grant is available. Each year we select several new community garden projects to develop and existing community gardens to expand. We require that neighborhood groups be committed to creating a successful urban greening project over the long
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THANK YOU
TO OUR SPONSORS Membership
Benefits Personal Tour of Bell Garden or City Seeds Urban Farm Pair of Gardening Gloves
Intensive Vegetable Growing Booklet Gateway Greening “Grow Your Own” T-Shirt Exclusive coupons to some of St. Louis’ best restaurants. Participating restaurants include: Eleven Eleven Mississippi, Pi, Onesto, Urban Eats Cafe and Bakery, Vin de Set and La Mancha Coffeehouse
Directors Circle
Rainmaker
Gardener
$250
$100
$35
Donated through the Neighborhood Assistance Program
Moneta Group has generously pledged over $35,000 to Gateway Greening through the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), and we give them our deepest thanks. Donated to Urban Roots Emerson has charitably pledged to donate $25,000 per year for the next five years to our Urban Roots initiatives in downtown St. Louis. With their support, the medians on Market Street and the planters and berms in Kiener Plaza have flourished into a model of urban beautification. Donated to the Carriage House Renovation The Boeing Employees Community Fund has given Gateway Greening, through a $10,000 grant, the opportunity to make large strides toward renovating the Carriage House. With their help, it will soon fit snugly into the community as a valued resource.
Exclusive coupons to St. Louis area Nurseries including Cottage Garden, Effinger Garden Center, Frisella Nursery, Garden Heights Nursery, Greenscape Gardens, Hartke Nursery, Hillermann Nursery & Florist, O.K. Hatchery, Rolling Ridge Nursery, Sappington Garden Shop, Sherwood’s Forest, Sugar Creek Gardens, The Bug Store, and Wild Birds Unlimited
Donated to the Community Garden Program
Subscription to “The Urban Gardener,” Gateway Greening’s quarterly newsletter
Donated through the Neighborhood Assistance Program
Purchase locally and organically grown vegetable and perennial seedlings from Bell Garden The latest updates on Gateway Greening events and happenings
The Joseph H. and Florence A. Roblee Foundation granted Gateway Greening $10,000 in support of our Community Garden program. We cannot thank them enough.
Commerce Bank has donated $2,000 through the NAP program, and their contribution is immensely helpful. We thank them.
FALL 2011 URBAN GARDENING ISSUE #76
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GATEWAY GREENING MEMBERS New Members Gardener Bonnie Bausano Sharon Brown Floridal Cargill Martha Conzelman Steve Eigsti Kelly Faulkner Jennifer Greenfield Madeline Hamid Julie Heggs Mara & Scott Higdon Petera Holzapfel Jamie Jackson Emily & Clayton KorteStroff Gregory & Elizabeth LaFontain Josie & Christopher Leonard Leslie Lihou Peter & Jennifer Marks Dee Mazuranic Carleen & Benjamin Murray Ben Niesen Carmelita & Daniel Nunez Mary Ostafi Elizabeth Rich Elizabeth Robinson Ellen Rowe Laurie Runge Jim Schmidt Patricia & Raymond Sharp Nancy Siemer Cara Spencer Kara Sperlo-Manley St. Anthony Food Pantry Martha Weston Renewing Members Director’s Circle Ann Augustin Althea Bolden Robert & Jane Evans Christine & Lee Kurtz Casten Karen & Jerry McClure Cheryl Schaefer Sarah Trulaske Liz & Jim Walker Gardener Martha Baker Mary Lou Basler Emil & Barbara Beier Walter & Norma Bentrup Ann & Hugh Bergman Richard Bischoff Laura Blumenfeld Michael Bohannon Robert Boyle Allen & Jean Burns
Suzanne Byron Byrne Cristina Cazabonne Donald & Charlet Cochran Fran Cohen Kenneth & Kathleen Cook Karen Crebs Greg & Marla Dell Quintus & Carol Drennan Kathleen Eagan Sondra Ellis Judith & Thomas Evans Deno & Marnita Fabbre Maureen Fagan Kathleen Ferrell John Finch Jane Fitzgerald Joanne & William Fogarty Carole Gates Marianne Gleich Joan Goodson Carole Gorman Edward & Norene Grossmann Leo Hageman Pam Hardy Carol Harris Janet & Dale Harting Jan & Carl Hermann Jane Hoeltzel Norma Holler John Huelsing Mary Jackson Carol Jepsen Elizabeth Johnson Deborah King Mary Kuc Ann Lakin Mary & John Loire Gretchen Loudermilk Donna Lykens Lyn Magee Elizabeth Mahony Connie Manning R&y Mardis Patricia & Michael May Charles & Anne McAlpin Liz & James McCane Robert & Mary McGlaughlin Zelra McNeal Teddy Melton Daniel & Anne Miller Angie & Brian Millikan Donna Muellner Janet Mundloch Dan O’Connor Titus Olajide Holly Parks Judy & Jeffery Pass Karen & Courtney Pitkin Rhonda Porche-Sorbet
GATEWAY GREENING BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Peter Postol Hannah Reinhart Frederick & Kim Scherrer Mary Semple Joan & Charles Sheppard Margaret & Michael Sherraden Patricia Sinner Lynn Slackman Nancy & Edwin Spiegel Beth Stelmach Deborah Stopsky Barbara & Ethelmar Stott Etta Taylor Judy Tisdale Lisa Watson Timothy Watt Carol Wheeler Linde Wiedow Patricia Winkelmann Charlene Wood Elizabeth Wright Nabeel Yaseen
Robert Ballsrud Ann Smith Carr Sarah Davis Noel Fehr James Fetterman Bonnie Hamid David Hoffmann Mark Lawson Robert Neu Randall Parker
Rainmaker Mary Jo Anderson Gloria & Tom Bratkowski Christine Brochtrup Brian Corson Andy Cross Sarah Davis Deborah Decker Leo & Kay Drey Nancy Fitzgerald Sam & Marilyn Fox Mary Hall Peggy Holly Karen Karabell William & Lesley Knowles Linda Lockwood Phyllis Maritz Tracy McCord Marcia & Jim Nusz Deborah & Richard O’Brien Old North St. Louis Restoration Group Renee Payton Ann & Leon Robison Amy Russell Gail & Clifford Saxton James & Marian Senger Richard & Mary Ann Shaw Anita Siegmund Glee & Ned Stanley Mary Pat Sullivan Georgia Van Cleve Opal Walker James & Barbara Willock
GATEWAY GREENING STAFF Program Director Mara Higdon x22 Administrative Assistant Theresa Lopez x23 Community Development Coordinator Hannah Reinhart x28 Community Gardens Coordinator James Anderson x30 Youth Programs Coordinator Steve Eigsti x24 Community Educator Ryan Barker x33
William Ruppert Lynn Suydam Julie Thomas Michael Turley Liz Walker Howard Wydner Victor Zarilli Loura Gilbert, Chair Dennis Woldum, Chair Emeritus
Urban Agriculture Manager Annie Mayrose x25 AmeriCorps VISTA City Seeds Rachel Deffenbaugh x32 AmeriCorps VISTA Community Outreach Matt Even x29 AmeriCorps VISTA Fundraising and Communications Will Flynn x31 AmeriCorps VISTA City Seeds Bob Kocher x34
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Our mission is to contribute to neighborhood vitality and stability through community food projects, education and wellness programs, and civic greening.
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