Bernardsville (NJ) Community Garden

By Wanda Knapik, Community Garden Director, Bernardsville Green Team

On the corner of Route 202 South and Springhouse Road in Bernardsville, New Jersey, a large community garden was designed and created in 2011.  A grant from the Community Catalyst Fund was used to purchase materials to fence in the growing area for 25 plots, install the fence and gate, till the plots, add compost, and start the garden.

The members of the garden use organic practices and methods to grow food.  Currently there are vegetables, herbs, flowers and berries growing in the garden.  We have seasonal educational events in the garden, planting garlic in November for example, and planting tomatoes and herbs in May.  Organic seeds and seedlings are provided to members who pay $50 per year for their plot.  If they sign up for two years, the fee is $75.

There have been many local groups and student volunteers who have contributed to creating and maintaining the garden in addition to the Bernardsville Green Team.  The Bernardsville High School Green Team is growing food in the garden and the Boy Scouts are involved as well.  This garden showcases how we are growing food and community in our town.  Wanda Knapik volunteers her time as the Community Garden Director.  She wrote the guiding principles and rules for the garden, administers the collection of membership dues, maintains the irrigation system, teaches classes in the garden and sources materials each season for the garden.  She educates and inspires people of all ages to grow food.

“I’m learning a lot about what, when, and how to plant vegetables and herbs.  We’re planting seeds and seedlings, annuals and perennials. I’m excited to harvest the garlic I planted last year!” ~Johanna Wissinger

A Letter to Mrs. Obama from the Tupper Lake (NY) Middle/High School Green Team

Dear Mrs. Obama,

On behalf of our Green Team/Wellness Committee we applaud your efforts to improve school nutrition and decrease childhood obesity.

Our school, and many schools in our country,  rely on federal subsidies to make school lunches affordable and available to our students. Your consideration of the “kinds” of food offered would be so appreciated. Tupper Lake School District is trying to offer alternatives to the canned and processed foods that are currently federal subsidy items.

We would like to invite you and your family to our school to see the changes we have made to support your initiatives. Our school is nestled in the heart of the Adirondacks in New York State, and is adjacent to The Wild Center, a state of the art, innovative, LEED certified  natural history museum of the Adirondacks. It is a “must see” experience when in this area.

In our efforts to promote healthy choices for our students, we have secured a grant from Clean Air-Cool Planet to purchase a freezer to store fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. That grant has also funded a compost storage bin and the construction of a root cellar, to be used as learning activities for our students. In this way they will understand that eating healthy, home-grown vegetables and the process of storing, composting, and returning enriched soil back to the garden completes a life cycle. Many students do not understand that healthy, whole foods do not come in a processed package.

This grant has enabled us to make recent changes in our cafeteria menu. Fresh/frozen fruit smoothies and yogurt/fruit/granola parfaits are now offered every morning and at lunch. These items sell out every day, and are slowly replacing pop tarts. We are now adding a sandwich bar and bagels with peanut butter for lunch. Students are choosing these options over processed chicken nuggets or pretzels with nacho cheese sauce.

It would be an enriching experience for you and Sasha and Malia to join us on “Adirondack Day” June 8, 2012. On that day students K-6 will be involved in various learning activities that celebrate the Adirondack Park and all its’ natural resources. Green Team students in grades 7-12 will be hosting a “life cycle” activity that introduces students to our first school garden, how the harvest is stored, composted, and returned back to the garden. This is just one of several educational and fun experiences our students will enjoy.

We look forward to your response. Please visit us any time if you cannot make this date. Governor Cuomo has often enjoyed visiting this Tri-Lakes region and we’d love for you to come to know it as well!

Sincerely,

Kathleen Eldridge,  Art Teacher and Green Team Advisor, Tupper Lake Middle/High School

A Garden Grows in Springfield, NJ

By Denise Devone, Chairperson, Springfield Environmental Commission

With a grant from the Community Catalyst Fund, the Springfield (NJ) Environmental Commission is finishing up Phase II of our Community Gardens. 

This winter provided a plethora/multitude of tasks for the Springfield Department of Public Works (DPW). The DPW are the fellows who build all of the wooden containers for the plots and then fill them with good dirt. Between the fall Leaf Collections and then the winter salting, plowing, and cutting tree limbs for all of the snow storms, the DPW has been almost overwhelmed at times. Finally, they have seriously begun to construct the rest of our gardens.

New plots take root in the Springfield Community Garden.

Originally the Grant money was to pay for six new 8′ x 8′ plots, fencing and a good composter. However, after planting for one season and having many more requests for plots; we have changed it to twelve new plots, fencing and a good new composter.

We are grateful to the Community Catalyst Fund for believing in the work of the Springfield Environmental Commission and we look forward to a great growing season!