The Last Days of Winter at CSG                                                  www.cityschoolyardgarden.org

February 2019 Newsletter                                                                Give to Keep Youth Growing!

What's Going On at CHS

by Peter Davis

This has been an incredible school year in the Charlottesville High School garden!  The Urban Farming class is now in its second year and students are really stepping up their involvement and leadership and are taking over all aspects of our ever-growing farm.  

Students designed and built a post-harvest production station that is going to allow us to wash, dry, and pack our produce. The station consists of a washing table, greens bubbler, and a salad spinner built out of an up-cycled washing machine built by our very own engineering students.

Earlier in the Fall, we had the pleasure of hosting Karen Washington from Rise and Root Farm in New York for an extended morning workshop discussing issues of food justice.  This was an amazing jump start to a deeper look into how our students can be involved in working towards food equity in both in our school community and in the larger Charlottesville community.  

Follow CSG_CHS on Instagram to see more!

                     

Healthy Schools: Composting at CCS

By Wendy Baucom, CSG Board Member

It’s easy to feel that one person can’t impact a big system, especially when you’re a kid.  And yet, thanks to Charlottesville City Schools’ commitment to using paper-based lunch trays and insuring they are delivered to a composting program, every city student will have the chance to participate in a daily small act that benefits the environment.

This year, Charlottesville City Schools are joining the effort to put organic material in a compost program instead of a landfill.  

Students at Venable, Jackson-Via, Clark, Greenbrier and Charlottesville High School are now putting their lunch trays in bins and tubs to be collected each week by Black Bear Composting.  

Special notice goes to high school students with the Green BACON Club, an after-school group interested in the intersection of engineering and the environment.  These students took the initiative to learn about the opportunity to compost and take on the project all on their own.

Our "Sleepy" Gardens

by Zyanya Otal

First and second grade students at Greenbrier started off the year learning about the differences between hibernation and dormancy from the warm comfort of Mrs. Plunkett's library. Through reading the popular "Over and Under the Snow" by Kate Messner, students were able to see and point out examples of these sleepy winter habits, from the bears snoozing under the snow to leafless and covered trees.

Students were then invited to the garden to practice recognizing plants that were still “awake” for the winter, and those that were dormant until the spring. 

Our excursion out to the garden left students wanting more, just in time for the beginning of the CLASS Garden Club, starting on Friday, March 1st. On to the spring!

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Megan is an advocate for racial equity bringing deep insight and care into how we work as a team. Join us in signing up for this year's Racial Equity Habit Builder. April 1-22

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Get to Know Megan Donovan, CSG's Administrative Coordinator Extraordinaire!

Megan Donovan has been with our organization as the bookkeeper for many years and has recently joined the team full time! It is great to have her experience, joy and optimism with us every day. Here is a little bit about her:

Tell us about an early experience with gardens and nature.
My deep connection with the earth stems from a childhood rich in outdoor experiences, whether it was picking mayhaws on my grandpa’s 1 acre hobby farm in Lower Alabama, bird watching with my mom, helping my dad dig potatoes in his garden, or exploring creeks with my brothers. 

What got you involved with CSG?
CSG Founder and ex-officio Lisa Drake mentioned her work with CSG during a spin class I was teaching at Carver Rec Center in 2015. I followed the organization on Facebook and soon after they posted a position for a part-time bookkeeper. I came on as a contract employee in the fall of 2015 and was immediately struck by their vision, approach and exemplary leadership. I joined the staff as Administrative Coordinator last September.

What has been your favorite experience with CSG?
Watching the organization grow both in size and reach but more importantly in its commitment to equity and leadership in Charlottesville and beyond. 

What are your dreams for CSG in the future?
My dream for CSG is to further solidify its role in Charlottesville as a leader in recognizing and addressing food insecurity through its commitment to youth, community and partnerships.

If you were a fruit or vegetable, what kind would you be and why?
I have to go with a peach – I was born in Georgia and one of my nicknames growing up was ‘peaches’. Also, YUM.

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Buford's Fall Garden Aides

by Shannon Gaffey

Kate Elmore, Benton House, Shyanne Jones, Claudia (Carolina) Najaro-Cornejo, and Hayden Rowland work in the garden as Buford’s 6th period Garden Aide class. This team of five has been an absolute force of nature this season, tackling tasks with thoughtfulness and joy. It has been a fabulous semester of watching this group grow as individuals and as a team, sharing their senses of humor, their frustrations, similarities and differences- this crew truly became their own little garden family. While we are excited to welcome a new, Spring cohort of Garden Aides, this class of caring, supportive goofballs will surely be missed! Keep reading to learn more about their semester in the garden, in their own words.

City Schoolyard Garden is celebrating the end of winter with a fabulous party fundraiser! Join us on March 19th as we raise funds to grow our youth programs. Hosted by Kimberlee Daniels, CSG Board Member extraordinaire. It's sure to be a special night! Check out details & a special message from Kim. 

CSG sends out a hearty thank you to each and every one of the individuals, businesses and foundations that support making youth garden connections.  We thrive with your partnerships. Thank you! 

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This month we want to thank those Families who have relentlessly supported our mission.

Thank you!

Worrell-Chapman Family Fund


Perrin & Peggy Quarles Family Fund


Dorman Weiss Family Fund


Susan W Davenport & W. Edgar Spigle Fund


The LWH Family Foundation


Dorothea D. Nelson Charitable Lead Annuity Trust


Nora and Dick Trodden


William M. Camp Foundation


The Rossetter-Cuthbert Family Foundation

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Join our Cultivar Partners. 

Donate to City Schoolyard Garden today!

 

                

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City Schoolyard Garden Partner Programs

 

At City Schoolyard Garden, youth well-being is the core of all we do. We believe young people thrive with the opportunity to engage in nature, discover through experience, build equity, lead and cultivate healthy living skills. CSG aims to create a healthy and equitable future – personally, in community and across systems and structures. We do this through City Schoolyard Garden programs, the Urban Agriculture Collective of Charlottesville farming and community market and the Charlottesville Food Justice Network advocacy and collaborations.   

www.cityschoolyardgarden.org    www.urbanagcville.org    www.cvillefoodjustice.org