Woollyschool Garden

Woollyschool Garden Blog

School Garden Hero: Jennifer Lee Segale of Dirty Girl Gardening

February 20th, 2012
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Jennifer Lee Segale is a professional in the fields of natural science. She owns Wildflower Farms, an organic landscape design company, based in the SF Bay Area. WFF specializes in organically sustainable gardens. Jenn also owns Dirty Girl Gardening, a “horticulture collective” with the brand Garden Apothecary. Garden Apothecary offers organic, whole botanical bath and beauty products, made in small batches.
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Jenn is 29, and lives in Half Moon Bay, CA – with her two dogs, a gaggle of chickens and all the plants a dirty girl could desire.
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Tell us a bit about yourself and your work with the HEAL program and Pilarcitos School.
Pilarcitos Alternative High School is a small school, located in Half Moon Bay, CA. The students are considered “at-risk”, facing problems ranging from lack of income, pregnancy, and health challenges. Pilarcitos has teamed up with the HEAL (Health Environment Agriculture Learning) Program – who bring hands-on curriculum, focusing on health, the environment, and local agriculture to students. I have always had a passion about giving back to the community that has fostered and helped develop my landscape design business, Wildflower Farms. The local schools I have been helping have been schools I have attended and loved, and I hate to see our local budget cuts effect the kids education and surroundings. Half Moon Bay has so much agriculture abundance, there is no reason why all of our schools can’t have more in-depth agriculture education and food/health curriculum. Since funding is always a big hurdle, using Woolly Pockets has been a fantastic answer to our challenges with growing veggies. The pockets we put up at the Pilarcitos school are growing with strawberries HEAL has donated, and other veggies I planted. I focused on things the kids can walk by everyday, grab and taste, smell, and feel – right before they walk into the classroom.
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What is your favorite vegetable to harvest? Why? 
Although it’s hard to pick just one… I think my favorite vegetable to harvest is garlic. It’s such an easy crop, versatile and so gratifying to harvest. Just tug on the thick, blue/green leaves and up it pops!
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What inspires your work? Your mission? 
Nature inspires my work. I know it’s so cliche, but it really does. If I’m not outside, around soil, plants, bugs and the like – I feel pretty lackluster. Finding a new insect, growing a new herb or simply getting my hands unreasonably dirty energizes me. And seeing or hearing of folks who don’t resonate with those simple wonders, inspires me to do more to connect people with nature… even in small ways that could possibly inspire them.
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Thank you Jennifer for inspiring us today! Do you know a School Garden hero? Email us at schools@woollypocket.com.
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Success Story: Chinese American International School (San Francisco, CA)

February 7th, 2012

Woolly School Garden: Chinese American International School, Pre-K & K Campus(San Francisco, CA)
Garden Coordinator: Vonceil Yara
Where does your garden hang? South facing wall in our school courtyard.
Do you have a drip line installed? Or do you hand water? We hand water every day!
Your Hardiness Zone: 8B
Your pockets are so colorful! What are you growing right now? We are growing… Flowering cabbage, Swiss chard, Rocket arugula, Sweet peas, Broccoli, Curly kale, Dino kale, Purple kale, Red beets, Mint, Organic lettuces- Butter, red, boston etc, Pansies, Violas, Bokchoy

Thanks, Vonceil!

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Woolly Pocket retailers lend a helping hand! Thanks ecomom!

January 31st, 2012

 

We are always excited to report when Woolly Pocket retailers lend a helping hand! As part of the Woolly Pocket Mini-Wally Sponsorship Program, ecomom has kindly donated 20% of their Mini-Wally  + Book sales to Urban Compass’ Woolly School Garden. Their $480 donation brings Urban Compass’s total amount of raised funds to $880… only $120 to go!

We’d like to extend our deepest thanks to ecomom, and to all of our wonderful Woolly Pocket retailers.

Interested in sponsorship opportunities with Woolly School Gardens? Email us at schools [at] woollypocket [dot] com.

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ecomom was founded to address the connection between the health of our children and the health of our environment, ecomom is committed to making eco-conscious living easy, affordable, and rewarding. By helping women begin to take better care of themselves and their families – with education, support, tools and products – we empower them to take the all important first steps toward a healthier, more balanced, and sustainable lifestyle. ecomom is about bridging the gap between making healthy choices and making easy choices. We created ecomom because we care and are concerned for babies and their moms, our families and our communities. 

Urban Compass strives to reach underserved urban youth and guide them toward a hopeful future by showing them that a world of possibility exists and inspiring them to achieve their dreams through education, mentoring and enrichment activities.

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7 easy steps to start a school garden!

January 18th, 2012

Proposal Image via GrowtoLearn
All other images courtesy of Woolly School Garden

7 Easy Steps to Starting an Outdoor Classroom at your school!

I speak to teachers every day who worry about their students suffering from obesity and diabetes due to poor nutrition- the need to educate youth about health and nutrition is more important than ever. Children who are hungry or poorly nourished do less well in school, both academically and behaviorally. Numerous studies demonstrate that school-based garden and nutrition education programs positively impact the adoption of healthy eating habits; children are more likely to try new fruits and vegetables if they grow them themselves!

Most schools in the U.S. do not have gardens or nutrition education as part of the curriculum. Many would like to build a garden but don’t have the resources or space. There is so much red tape around starting a school garden that it can seem daunting to get started! Well forget the red tape… Here are 7 easy steps to starting an outdoor garden classroom, no matter your size or budget!

1) Create a garden proposal

Present a proposal to the principal or administration. A proposal will also help you think through all aspects of planning for your garden and identify what kind of support and resources you will need in order to fund, build, and maintain your garden.  See this guide and template via School Garden Wizard.

2) Fundraise for your school garden

Community Fundraising
Fundraising for your garden is an important part of the process. Asking your community to give or raise money is a way to garner interest and instill a sense of ownership in the garden.

Garden Grants
There are also plenty of garden grants available. For a full list of garden grant directories, see www.woollyschoolgarden.org/fundraising-kit

Online Fundraising
To raise money for your garden using effective online tools and social media, try www.woollyschoolgarden.org or www.donorschoose.org

3) Build your school garden

Raised beds

Raised beds are great if you have the space. They are usually at least 12 inches deep. When choosing a length and a width, keep in mind that students will have to reach across the width of the bed to water, harvest, and weed the garden.

Tire gardens

Why not grow some non-edible beautiful flowers, or start a butterfly garden using donated tires? Tire gardens can be painted up to become living art! But careful- there are concerns over chemicals from the tires leeching into soil… so non-edibles only! Check out this how-to.

Grow vertically!
Vertical edible gardens don’t require you to give up any space and allow access for all individuals, including children with disability conditions.  Vertical gardens work great for any school, with or without land. Woolly School Gardens use any sunny wall or fence to create a vertical edible garden. You don’t even need a drill for a fence, just a few zip-ties!

*Tire Garden Photo courtesy of Mark Twain Elementary

 4) Integrate your garden in to your classroom using lessons

The key to making your school garden a successful part of your school is to integrate garden curriculum into the classroom. Learning truly comes alive in a school garden. From math to science, reading to nutrition, almost any topic can be taught in a garden! There are a number of online resources for school garden curriculum.

5) Maintain and monitor your school garden

While building, planting and harvesting are important, daily maintenance and studying incremental growth is just as important. Plants need water on a regular basis, so create a watering schedule. Soil should be checked to make sure it’s retaining the right amount of moisture. Instead of expensive built in irrigation, consider running a hose with a timer! A garden only thrives if it’s being properly cared for, and don’t forget weekends and holidays!

For even more maintenance how-to’s, check out Grow to Learn.

6) Watch your garden grow

Take photos!

7) … & Enjoy! 

The best way to enjoy the fresh produce from your garden is to…. eat it! That’s right! Integrate cooking/meal preparation in to the classroom (for ideas check out the Kitchen Kid, the culinary program at Santee Ed Complex, or RootDownLA!), and this is a crucial part of an edible schoolyard program. Eating the fresh produce will help kids make the connection from farm to table, from garden to tummy! And plus, kids who grow veggies, EAT veggies!

 

Do you have more ideas or nifty tips? Let us know in the comments! :)

 

 

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School Garden Heroes: Organic Mechanics Soil Company

January 12th, 2012
Happy New Year! We hope your 2011 rocked, and that your 2012 will be even better! This year we are kicking off our Woolly School Garden blog with our new “School Garden Heroes” series, in which we will feature individuals and organizations who inspire us by making school gardens and nutrition education a reality.
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SCHOOL GARDEN HERO: school gar·den he·ro [skool] [gahr-dn] [heer-oh]
(noun, plural -roes)
1. a person of distinguished courage or ability,
admired for their determination to teach kids how
to grow their own food.
2. a person who helps children discover the living world,
increases access to fresh healthy food, and brings hope
to communities by making school garden projects a reality.
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Mark and Mike of Organic Mechanics Soil are our first feature, because isn’t that what every garden needs to get started? Great quality organic soil? Organic Mechanics Soil Company has sponsored soil for 8+ of our Woolly School Gardens in Philadelphia and on the East Coast… That’s over 160 cu feet of organic soil for kids to grow and eat edibles! That’s a lot of donated dirt!
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Tell us a bit about yourselves and the Organic Mechanic Soil Company
Organic Mechanics was started in 2006 by company President Mark Highland.
Mark Highland: “I’ve always been an environmentalist. That eventually led me to work on an organic farm in Oregon after my B.S. at the University of Florida. During my M.S. in Public Horticulture the goal of my thesis was to help improve the composting process for Longwood Gardens. Those experiences galvanized my interest in starting an organic, peat-free and earth-friendly potting soil company. When I’m not working on your soil, I enjoy gardening (of course!), good music, and spending time with my friends and family.”
Mike Betterly (VP): “I’ve always had a passion for the environment, going back to my days of the Recycling Club in middle school and SAVE (Students Against Violating the Earth) in high school. I’m zealous about working to educate others about the power of organic soil and food, renewable energy, and being mindful of our buying behavior, and how it effects the earth.”
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Why do you choose to support school garden projects?
Kids are amazing learners, and soak up knowledge like a super-sponge! We think that the ability to teach kids about nature, and to create a respect and love for it, is vital to our future. For us, healthy soil = healthy plants = healthy kids! Empowering them to be able to grow their own vegetables, fruits and herbs reduces their need for processed foods and gets them excited about eating healthy. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Showing them the importance of eating healthy, locally, and organically will positively impact their lives, and eventually, the next generation after them.
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Plus, the Woolly School Gardens are so easy to install and manage, the kids can quickly become proficient gardeners! Providing soil is just a part of the Woolly Gardens Programs, but we’re so happy and proud to be a part of such an important movement.
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What is your company’s main mission?

At the heart of all we do, we share a philosophy that embraces environmental sustainability, first and foremost. We are actively pursuing the dream of producing the most eco-friendly, highest quality potting soil on the market. Our vision is to spread the message of being kind to the earth, keeping conscious of our surroundings, and living sustainably. By providing people with the most earth-friendly and easy-to-use potting we can make, we hope to inspire others to grow their own food to help provide for themselves and their loved ones, recycle and reuse what they can (our ingredients are almost all high quality, recycled by-products), and become more proactive in helping to save our environment. The more that we set an example, and help to teach others, the better we can affect positive change in the world.
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What is your favorite veggie to harvest? Why?
Mark: “Carrots, since you can leave them in the ground until you are ready to pick and eat them. They keep well if left in the ground, and get sweeter after a few frosts. Plus after you pick them, you get to do a bugs bunny impersonation…What’s up doc!”
Mike: “Pumpkin, because I can use it in everything! Soups, pies, breads, cakes, you name it. It reminds me of fall as a kid, cooking pies with my mom, and going on tractor rides in the corn fields. Nothing beats pumpkin pie on a cool fall night!”
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Thank you Mike and Mark for inspiring us today! Do you know a School Garden hero? Email us at schools@woollypocket.com

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Our Woolly Thanks to Plastics Make it Possible®!

November 23rd, 2011


Plastics Make it Possible® sponsors 10 schools! 

Wow! We are so grateful for our wonderful partners, Plastics Make it Possible®.

Plastics Make it Possible® is providing 10 schools with everything they need to start their own edible schoolyard, with Woolly School Gardens! These schools will receive 50 Woolly Pockets, organic premium soil, edible seeds, a garden manual, and our K-8 nutrition & gardening curriculum written by GrowingGreat.

Congratulations to the winning schools:

  1. Harriet Tubman Leadership Academy for Young Women (Portland, OR) 
  2. Paul Cuffe Elementary (Chicago, IL) 
  3. Belmont Charter School (Philadelphia, PA) 
  4. Dominion Trail Elementary (Ashburn, VA) 
  5. Fienberg Fisher K-8 Center (Miami Beach, FL) 
  6. Mark Twain Elementary (Richardson, TX) 
  7. Cogswell Elementary (El Monte, CA) 
  8. Crawford W. Long Middle School (Atlanta, GA) 
  9. Gompers Middle School (Los Angeles, CA) 
  10. Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy (San Francisco, CA)

Be sure to check back regularly for updates on the progress of these gardens. And for tips to get your kids recycling more of their everyday plastics, check out the Plastics Make it Possible website, here.

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The Power of Urban Gardening and Community Development

October 11th, 2011

 

I was reading a post over on Jeff McIntire-Strasburg’s blog Sustainablog called The 5 Best Cities for Urban Gardening. I encourage you to check it out because he does a great job at outlining the different cities and why they scream, “SUSTAINABLE!”

However, I took something else out of the blog post. In the third paragraph Jeff states:

“One way large cities are becoming green is through urban gardening. Community gardens help bring communities together. They do this by producing food specifically for those in need, hosting youth programs, and reducing crime rates.”

Urban gardening is more than fresh and organic veggies. It is more than sustainability and creating life in urban decay. It is fully about community development.

One of my favorite authors is Malcolm Gladwell. In “The Power of Context” and later “The Tipping Point”, Malcolm poses a theory to explain the phenomenon that occurred when the sudden period of intense cleaning and maintenance of New York City was able to slash crime.

It is extremely important to realize that an individual’s environment makes a huge impact to their well-being. An urban garden brings the community together and creates a beautiful landscape of life. That life helps curb turbulent tendencies in neighborhoods where hope is a luxury.

At Woolly Pocket, we encourage all people to investigate and build a sustainable future for our neighborhoods, schools, and communities.

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Woolly School Gardens + Good Food Festival Santa Monica

September 24th, 2011


We had a great time at the Good Food Festival. in Santa Monica. We met some incredible folks- Nona from the Whole Kids Foundation, the great guys from Chipotle, our incredible partners Growing Great, and the always inspiring Mud Baron. We also heard the stories of fantastic model school gardens from all over Los Angeles. Thanks to everyone who came out to the Rose Garden to learn about vertical gardening, and the woolly school garden program! And a big thank you to the Good Food Festival volunteers for helping us woollify the school garden with beautiful veggies and herbs!

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Woolly Schools + Jamie Oliver Food Revolution = Twitter Party!

September 19th, 2011

Please join us tomorrow as we host the Jaime Oliver Food Revolution Twitter Party! We are talking all about gardening with kids- tips, tricks, + school gardens! You can follow the Woolly School Garden on Twitter @woollyschools and use the hash-tag #foodrevparty to get in on the fun. Tweetchya later!

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Join us at Good Food Festival!

September 16th, 2011

The organizing committee of the Good Food Festival & Conference has put together five days of STELLAR events as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market.

Stop by this weekend at the Rose Garden from 10am – 5pm to meet our very own Woolly School Garden extraodinaire, Shauna Nep to learn about vertical gardening with kids. We’ll have our new Mini Wally and children’s book for you to check out. There will also be a street fair with good food, local tops chefs, and wonderful workshops on cooking and growing your own food. We’d love to see y’all there. It’s gonna be a GOOD weekend!

Good Food Festival & Conference @ Santa Monica High School
601 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, California 90405

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