Community Gardens Act of 2009

Earlier this year the "Community Gardens Act of 2009" was introduced as a Congressional Bill that would provide grant funding for community gardens. The bill states that establishing community gardens increases the general availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, helps to reduce greenhouse gas emmissions, promotes healthy lifestyles and educates the public on the importance of gardening and food production. To read the text of this bill, to follow the progress of this bill and/or to learn more details about the bill (committee hearings, sponsors, etc.), please go to: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3225:

Rain Barrel Workshop

On October 17, the Hub City Farmers Market will be sponsoring a Rain Barrel workshop put on by Clemson Extension agent George Dickert. The cost is $65. This is a great opportunity to learn how to make and use a rain barrel and to acquire one at reasonable price. For more inform...ation, please call the Hub City Farmers' Market office at 864-585-0905 or e-mail ali@hubcityfm.org

Community Food Projects

The USDA's Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program is offering grants to private, non-profit entities to help them establish community food projects. The goal of these grants is to help communities become more self reliant on their local food systems and at the same time address food, nutrition, and farm issues. The grants offered are one time only and require a dollar for dollar match in resources. The grant can last anywhere from 1 to 3 years and grants are awarded in amounts between $10,000 and $300,000 dollars. Check out http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/knowyourfarmer?contentid=kyf_grants_csree1_content.html&navtype=KYF&edeploymentaction=changenav for more information. An example of an established community garden can be found in at HeartWorks in Bayboro, NC. Their garden was developed in 2008 and is located in a 4,000 sq. ft. lot. Children who participate in their after school and summer programs learn how to garden and cook with fresh produce. The garden provides healthy afternoon snacks for them as well! Go to http://heartworksonline.org/community_garden.aspx for more information.

Hidden Valley Ranch has a great program called "Love Your Veggies" which offers grants to schools! They are currently accepting grant applications until November 6, 2009. These $10,000 grants can be used to help schools execute innovative programs that will increase the access to, and consumption of, fresh fruits and vegetables in the lunchroom. For more information about Love Your Veggies and the grant application, to to: http://www.loveyourveggies.com/school_grants.php

The deadline for applying for the Lowe's Toolbox for Education grants is October 16, 2009. These grants are available to 1500 applicants. There will also be a spring grant application period. The grants are for projects that help improve schools and their surrounding communities, including projects such as school gardens! For more information, please visit: http://www.toolboxforeducation.com/

Here's a website filled with lots of ideas and success stories about ways that you can change the food service in your school to include more local foods, seasonal produce and healthy food choices! You can even register to win a school lunch makeover with Ann Cooper, the "Renegade Lunch Lady"!! For more information, check out this website at: http://www.thelunchbox.org/

Spartanburg County Schools Eat Local celebration

Hugh Weathers, Commissioner of Agriculture, will participate in the It Takes You! Eat Local celebration at Arcadia Elementary School, 375 Spring St., in Spartanburg at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

The event, sponsored by Chartwells School Dining Services a Division of the Compass Group, is designed to encourage the schools that they service to feature at least one or more locally grown produce items on their menu daily the week of September 21-25, 2009.
The celebration is part of an on-going partnership between Chartwells and South Carolina distributors, schools, and farmers designed to help children develop healthy eating habits. But, the program also helps to improve South Carolina farm income and direct access to markets.
For their effort to provide locally grown produce in their schools, Chartwells and Spartanburg School District 6 were presented the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) ‘Best Practice Award.’ The purpose of the award is to encourage and reward outstanding practices in schools in the southeast region of the U.S. and to share the winner’s strategies with other schools so that they can also improve their programs and services that are delivered to their students.
Commissioner Weathers is expected to commend the public-private partnership among Chartwells, produce distributors, and participating farmers and school districts. All around, the promotion educates students and customers about sustainability practices, the benefits of eating fresh, local produce and how buying local affects our communities and wellness.
For more information about the local produce in Spartanburg schools program, contact Ron Jones, Chartwells Director of Dining for Spartanburg District Schools.