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ParSLAY the Day!

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ParSLAY the Day logo
Each year, Georgia Organics coordinates a statewide campaign to get kids eating, growing, and learning about a locally grown fruit or vegetable during October Farm to School Month. This year’s campaign will be celebrating ParSLAY the Day!  University of Georgia Extension is excited to be a part of this annual event.
 
To participate in ParSLAY the Day at your school, home, early care center, or in your community, visit bit.ly/parslaythedaysignup to register. Participants will receive access to a free electronic toolkit filled with parsley-themed activities, standards-based lesson plans, fact sheets, recipes, school nutrition resources, and more!  
 
The first 300 people to sign-up will have the option to receive a free packet of parsley seeds, washable parsley tattoos, and a Georgia Planting and Harvest Calendar for school gardens.  
 
Share your ParSLAY the Day pictures and activities on social media with #parslaytheday. Each week during October, anyone who has used this hashtag will be entered to win a prize and at the end of the month there will be a grand prize winner.  
 
 

6th Annual Great Southeast Pollinator Census

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Great Southeast Pollinator Census 2024 logo

Calendars are being marked and pollinator gardens are being readied for the 6th Annual Great Southeast Pollinator Census.  This community science event takes place each August with this year’s dates being August 23rd and 24th.  During those date participants venture out to their pollinator garden and for 15 minutes they count the pollinators that land on their chosen pollinator plant.  Counters place the pollinators into one of eight categories: carpenter bee, bumble bee, honey bee, small bee, wasp, fly, butterfly/moth, and other insects.

 

This initiative was started by Becky Griffin from University of Georgia Extension.  She is the Community & School Garden Coordinator and was finding gardeners throughout her state that maybe knew plant selection and soil health but were lacking in insect knowledge.  At the same time, she was working with educators and finding that many were not educated in entomology while in college and were loath to teach it to their students.   Griffin felt the Pollinator Census would be an avenue to not only provide pollinator population data to researchers but at the same time increase entomological literacy and create lacking sustainable pollinator habitat throughout the state. 

 

This project has grown to include South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida.  The success of the Census is due to the project partners throughout these states and the enthusiasm of the participants.  Since its inception, participation has increased over 200% and over 2,500 new sustainable pollinator habitats have been created.  It is easy to learn to differentiate between the insect categories and participants usually respond to participating by wanting to increase their pollinator habitat and learn more about the insects.

 

So, if you live in one of the participating states, visit https://GSePC.org , and learn how to be(e) part of this worthwhile project.  Considering joining their social media at Southeast Pollinator Census Facebook Group and @SoutheastPollinators on Instagram.   The project’s motto, “protecting pollinators one count at a time,” means that your counts really do matter!

Are you ready for Pepper Palooza?

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Each year, University of Georgia Extension joins Georgia Organics as they coordinate a statewide campaign to get kids eating, growing, and learning about a locally grown fruit or vegetable during October Farm to School Month. This year’s campaign will be celebrating Pepper Palooza! 

To participate in Pepper Palooza at your school, home, early care center, or in your community, visit bit.ly/pepperpalooza to register. Participants will receive access to a free electronic toolkit filled with pepper-themed activities, standards-based lesson plans, fact sheets, recipes, school nutrition resources, and more!  

The first 300 people to sign-up will have the option to receive a free packet of pepper seeds, washable pepper tattoos, and a Georgia Planting and Harvest Calendar for school gardens. 

Additionally, we have a new contest to engage school nutrition departments! During the month of October, school districts will have the chance to win a special prize if they include peppers in their menus at least one time per week. The contest is now open at bit.ly/pepperpaloozacafeteriacontest.  

Share your Pepper Palooza pictures and activities on social media with #pepperpalooza. Each week during October, anyone who has used this hashtag will be entered to win a prize and at the end of the month there will be a grand prize winner.  

Questions? Visit the October Farm to School Month FAQ page or email yaza@georgiaorganics.org

The Apple Crunch

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Friday, September 30th, join us in celebrating Georgia's apples!

Fall is often apple picking time in the North Georgia Mountains.  Most of Georgia’s apples are grown in Gilmer and Fannin Counties and the 2020 farm gate value of Georgia’s apple crop was $9,357,650.  The Mountain Research and Education Center in Blairsville grows almost 2,000 apple trees for research, assisting apple growers in Georgia and North Carolina. Most importantly, fresh apples are delicious.

On Friday, September 30th, the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Program and the Georgia Department of Agriculture are encouraging Georgians to celebrate apples with the BIG CRUNCH.  To participate, at noon on that date, crunch into a locally grown apple!  This collective crunch encourages healthy eating and supports farm to school initiatives and Georgia farmers.  Post your photos using #GeorgiaGrown.  We will be celebrating in North Georgia’s apple country!

For educators or families, the Georgia Department of Education has put together activities and resources for a true apple celebration.  If you are interested in growing your own apple trees, UGA Extension’s Home Garden Apple publication will be a useful resource.  

UGA’s Community & School Garden Coordinator, Becky Griffin, is ready for the BIG CRUNCH!

Spinach to Win It – 2022 Farm to School Campaign

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The 2022 October is Farm to School Month campaign Spinach to Win it is now live, meaning folks can start signing up to participate! Spinach to Win It is a state-wide celebration to get kids eating, growing, and participating in Spinach-themed activities. University of Georgia Extension is a proud partner of the Farm to School Alliance.

To participate in Spinach to Win it at your school, home, early care center, or in your community, visit bit.ly/spinachtowinit and sign up. Participants will receive free electronic resources to help plan and implement activities.  Resources include standards-based lesson plans, fact sheets, recipes, and more.

The first 300 people to sign-up will have the option to receive a free packet of spinach seeds, washable spinach tattoos, and a Georgia Planting and Harvest Calendar for school gardens.

Share your Spinach to Win it pictures and activities on social media with #spinachtowinit. Each week during October, anyone who uses this hashtag will be entered to win a prize and at the end of the month there will be a grand prize winner.
Questions? Visit https://farmtoschool.georgiaorganics.org/frequently-asked-questions or email kimberlykoogler@georgiaorganics.org. If you have questions about growing spinach in your school garden, contact your local UGA Extension Agent.

School Gardens are Back!

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After years of inattention, school gardens are back in focus. It may be a good time for a garden reboot!

Spend time rethinking your school garden purpose.

Is it solely a horticultural effort or is the garden really tied to the school curriculum?  Ensure that you are getting the most of the garden.  A well thought-out garden plan can be used to teach history, geography, math and English.  Planting a plot of Cherokee Trail of Tears beans can be a segue to history and geography.  Creating a Sarah, Plain and Tall garden is a refreshing way to teach literature.  Use your imagination and creative thinking to make the most out of your garden space.

Strengthen your volunteer core.

The work of the garden cannot be the responsibility of one or two teachers.  The weeding, watering and garden maintenance have to be shared work, hopefully with volunteers.  How do you recruit garden volunteers? Do you have a school garden committee as part of your PTA or PTO?  Can upper level students help?  Plan your garden size based on how much garden maintenance help you have.  A smaller, well maintained garden space is better than a larger unmaintained space.

Make a summer plan.

Summer is coming.  Make sure you have a plan for summer garden care.  Will you plant cover crops or put the garden to bed over the summer months?  Coming back to a garden mess is not an option.  

Have fun!

Most importantly, enjoy the garden.  Enjoy having the students learning outside.  It has been a hard couple of years.  Here are some resources that could be helpful:

Georgia’s 2021 Farm to School Month Planning

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Livin’ La Vida Okra

October is Farm to School Month and schools and early care centers across Georgia will be celebrating all things okra! Livin’ La Vida Okra is a state-wide celebration to get kids eating, growing, and participating in okra-themed activities.

To participate in Livin’ La Vida Okra at your school, home, early care center, or in your community, visit bit.ly/livinlavidaokra and sign up. Participants will receive free electronic resources to help you plan and implement your activities.  Resources include standards-based lesson plans, activities, recipes, videos, school garden planting and harvesting information, and more!

The first 300 people to sign-up will be able to choose whether or not to be mailed a free packet of okra seeds, washable okra tattoos, and a Georgia Planting and Harvest Calendar for school gardens. Share your Livin’ La Vida Okra pictures and activities on social media with #livinlavidaokra. Each week during October, anyone who uses this hashtag will be entered to win a gift card and at the end of the month, there will be a grand prize winner. Questions? Visit https://farmtoschool.georgiaorganics.org/frequently-asked-questions  or email kimberlykoogler@georgiaorganics.org.

UGA Extension has a fantastic publication on growing okra that could be useful for those gardeners new to the crop or for those who want to improve their harvest!

Happy Gardening!

Georgia Ag Awareness Week 2021

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It is almost that time of year!   March 22nd – March 26th is Georgia Ag Awareness Week.  This is the week to celebrate all things Georgia Agriculture.

Happily, Monday of that week is Hands-on Garden Day!  Traditionally, that has meant celebrating our school gardens.  This year is a bit different and the Georgia Department of Agriculture is asking us to celebrating any work in any garden.  So the question is how will you celebrate?

How about spending some time as a family in the garden?  Maybe plan what types of food crops you want to grow this year in your home garden.  It could be a good time to get some cool-season crops in the ground.  Think of what menus you want on the summer dinner table.  Take that cue and plan your plantings.  

Are you challenged with no garden space?  How about a container garden.  There are food crops specially bred for small gardens.  Also, most herbs grow well in pots.

If your local school has a garden, do they need volunteers?  Could you safely arrange to help out in those gardens?  I am sure they could use the help and the labor would be much appreciated. 

Your local UGA Extension office has information on crops grown in your area. Whatever you decide, take some time to appreciate all the wonderful ag products that Georgia offers.  I am dreaming of watermelon, green peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, blueberries….


 

 

 

 

Using Seed Catalogs In the Classroom

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The seed catalogs keep arriving. In my household that is cause for excitement. I save them until I have time to properly enjoy looking through them. What do you do with your seed catalogs after you have looked through them and placed your orders? If you throw them into the recycling bin you are missing out as these gems are full of useful information.

If you are a school gardener, or a community gardener that works with youth, the seed catalogs can be used throughout the year! To start with you can laminate the beautiful photos to use as plant markers.

You can use the information provided in the catalog for lessons:

Seed spacing guides can be used for students to create a garden bed design.

Days to harvest information can be used for students to determine the planting dates of their garden design so that all the produce is ready at the same time.

Seed package cost can be used to calculate the total cost of the garden design.

All of this information can be used to determine how much produce can be grown per square foot (inch, meter).

Marketing plans can be created to sell resulting produce at a Farmers Market.  How much money can be made given the input costs?

Aspiring artists can design artistic seed packets using the information given.

English classes can pick vegetables and re-write the plant descriptions.

Of couse, students can look through the catalog and pick a vegetable they have never tried before and make a plan to grow it.

Happy browsing!

Efficiency is the Ticket in the School Garden this Year

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Many school gardens have suffering this year. Maybe your school does not allow volunteers on school property right now. Maybe your teachers are overwhelmed with teaching in 2020 and do not have time for the garden. Maybe your garden is just a mess. Spring is coming and with some forethought maybe you can have a successful garden program this school year after all.

The key for a successful spring garden program during COVID is going to be efficiency.  This is not the time to try crops you are unfamiliar with.  Stick to basics like lettuce, spinach, bush beans, etc.  Better yet, think about putting some garlic or short-day onions in this fall for harvesting in the spring.

If you have a large school garden, consider planting cover crops on some of the garden and concentrate your efforts on a smaller area that is easily managed.  Can your students help with garden maintenance?

Make sure that the crops you plant are ones that are easily tied to as much of the school curriculum as possible.  Can the crop be used in history classes as well as science classes?  With some creative thought, crops like beans and peas can be used in these disciplines:

Geography – Map the movement of these crops as people moved across the globe

History – How was this crop used in the past, dishes made, cultural significance

Writing – I am a big fan of haiku!  Maybe  “Ode to the Bean!”

Math – How many beans/peas in a pod?  How many pods per plant?

Language Arts – Did grandparents grow these crops?  Think about an oral history project.

Physical Education –  How about bean stretches?  These from Community Seed Network are fun for everyone!

The most important thing to remember is to be kind to yourself and the school garden program.  This is a challenging year and we are all doing the very best we can!

Happy Gardening!

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