Vegetable Web MD

Having trouble with your plants, and not sure what is going wrong?

Check out this website to find a diagnosis...
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/Home.htm

Composting Picture Guides and Other Great Info

Here you can check out a step-by-step photo guide of the composting and worm composting processes!
http://homepage.mac.com/cityfarmer/PhotoAlbum24.html
http://homepage.mac.com/cityfarmer/PhotoAlbum23.html

Having composting problems? Or need to doublecheck what you should be adding? Check out these simple informational sheets:
http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/publications/Publications/HeresTheDirt.pdf
http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/publications/Publications/wormcompostbrochure.pdf

LiFE Curriculum for Grades 4th through 8th!

"Linking Food and the Environment (LiFE) is a collaboration of the Science Education and Nutrition education programs at Teachers College Columbia University. Established in 1996 with the vision of promoting scientific habits of mind through thoughtful, inquiry-based activities that integrate the study of food, food systems, and environmental and personal health. The mission of all the LiFE modules is to increase scientific conceptual understandings in life sciences; improve attitudes towards science; improve attitudes toward personal health and nature; and promote behavior changes in relation to personal and ecological health.

In the modules of the LiFE Curriculum Series students embark on an exciting adventure—learning how to use scientific evidence to construct theories of food, food systems and health that can lead to choices that promote ecological and personal health."

http://www.tc.edu/life/overviews.html

Check out and use these free lessons!

"Keeping the Flow" (investigating the impact of ones diet on the cardiovascular system)
http://www.tc.edu/life/docs/lesson%2015%20Keeping%20the%20Flow.pdf
"Celebrating Plant Parts"
http://www.tc.edu/life/GF.L6.CelebratePP.pdf

Carolina Fence Garden!

Some of you may already be familiar with the Carolina Fence Garden project offered by the South Caorlina Wildlife Federation, but for those of you who would like more information about how to create a Carolina Fence Garden, please visit: http://www.scwf.org/index.php/education-programs/habitats/fence-garden

New Blooming Butterflies exhibit at EdVenture!!

Mother's Day weekend, May 9-10, EdVenture in Columbia will be opening its new "Blooming Butterflies" exhibit! This will be a permanent, outdoor exhibit at EdVenture featuring hundreds of butterflies and native plant species. The outdoor learning lab will feature 10-15 different species of butterflies indigenous to the Southeast as well as a variety of native and subtropical vegetation. EdVenture also anticipates that "Blooming Butterflies" also will appeal to nature enthusiasts who want to learn about the best types of plants to use in their own yards to attract butterflies. Admission to "Blooming Butterflies" is free to EdVenture members and only $3 for non-members with20standard museum admission. Advance tickets can be purchased online starting April 15. For more information about the ‘Blooming Butterflies' exhibit or EdVenture Children's Museum, visit http://www.edventure.org/ or call (803) 779-3100. The mission of EdVenture Children's Museum is to inspire children to experience the joy of learning.

Honey Bees at the new White House garden!

Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack, along with First Lady Michelle Obama and 5th graders from elementary are excited about the health benefits and tasty treats that can come from growing a garden. They also announced that in July, the garden will be receiving two different types of honey bees that are resistant to certain parasites. These honey bees are essential to the success of a garden because they insure pollination of the flowers so that the plants will bear fruit to be harvested at a later date. A greate secondary feature of having active honey bees, is the honey that they produce! For more information about the White House garden and the benefits of honey bees, please see: http://westernfarmpress.com/tree-nut-crops/honeybee-white-house-0414/