WELCOMING SUMMER AT CSG www.cityschoolyardgarden.org
June 2018 Newsletter Give to keep youth growing!

With your support, CSG grows youth well-being, healthy eaters, youth leadership, and real world skills. Your gift makes these positive impacts a core part of a Charlottesville education.

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We’re almost half way to our goal of raising $8,000 to support youth garden leadership by the end of the month. Make a monthly gift, and your contribution will support CSG all year long (plus we'll send you a great CSG sticker to say thanks!). Give now, and thank you!

Something's Cooking at Burnley Moran

written by Jordan Johnson, BME Garden Coordinator

This spring was filled with seeds, compost, journaling, cooking, tasting, growing, a photo story, and so much excitement (and more “go-garden” hands-in cheers than I can count!). From a kindergarten class infatuated with worms, to a second grade class excited to share with the others how the garden has made them feel this year, we have done some very exciting activities on Fridays this spring!

One of my favorite garden activities is connecting the food that we grow in the garden with simple recipes. So, naturally, this spring I hauled CSG’s mobile kitchen—a series of bins filled with measuring materials, prep bowls, pots and pans, a camp-style grill, oil, salt, and pepper to Burnley-Moran for a spring harvest of our kale and garlic. The students learned about harvesting the big leaves of the plant and were excited to hear that if we leave the smaller leaves, this could be done a few weeks later with another group (side note: this is exactly what happened—a summer camp came and prepared these leaves and cooked them up for a second round of snacks). So we took the big leaves, washed, tore them up, cut up an onion, and sautéed it all together to make a delicious early morning snack.

For Mrs. Shifflett’s second grade class, we took the time while preparing and cooking Kale to celebrate the year and have each student reflect on their experience in the garden. Each student took some time to think of their favorite part of their year in the garden and what activities they liked best. We had each student write on a chalkboard a word that comes to mind when they think of the garden. Students really took the time to think of a word they would use to describe it. We got answers like “Yummy” “Beautiful” “Epic” and even “too hot.” The students then took the chalkboard and found a place that they wanted their picture taken with it. Check out the blog to see some Photo Stories!

GARDEN CORNER

Melons

Melon is a great way to cool off on a hot summer day. The refreshing juicy flesh is such a treat to cut that heat! They are also a great addition to any garden. Here are some things to know when adding a melon plant to your garden.

When growing melons know that they need plenty of sunlight, moisture, and heat. So to get happy plants, put in a sunny hot place and water regularly!

>>Melons thrive in warm soil, so don’t plant until the group temperature is above 70 degrees F. Prior to planting, it may be helpful to cover soil with plastic film to hasten soil warming.

>>Also, plant melon seeds in soil amended with several inches of compost or well-rotted manure, since melons are heavy feeders.

>> Plant melons 36- 42 in. apart, giving them room to roam. Make sure to tackle weeds before vines start to run, because if done late it will be impossible to suppress weeds. (Mulching soil under vines will help to suppress weeds and slow the moisture evaporation from the soil)

>>Keep soil constantly moist, but not waterlogged.

>>Melons typically ripen over a short period of time, up to 3-4 weeks. You can Store melons in a refrigerator for up to a week, if you have extra you can flesh into balls and freeze, for slushies or cold soup.

>>Looking for a fun recipe? Add 2 cups of frozen cantaloupe, 1/2 cup of raspberries, 1/2 cup of yogurt and pineapple juice to a blender to make a delicious frozen smoothie!

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!

Join our Cultivar Partners. Donate to City Schoolyard Garden today!

A Growing Team at CSG

We have had a very busy spring with on-boarding new staff and volunteer board members! CSG team members are excited to share their skills and heart. You'll hear more about these talented garden lovers over the next few months, including:

Richard Morris, CSG Program Outreach Coordinator

Shannon Gaffey, Garden Educator for Teens

Tianna Washington, Garden Coordinator Associate

Leonda Keniston, CSG Board Member

Kimberlee Daniels, CSG Board Member

We are so excited to have a growing team and look forward to the new perspectives!

This month we are highlighting Leonda Keniston, Dean of Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social Sciences at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

Here is a little about Leigh:

1) Tell us about an early experience with gardens and nature.

My earliest experience with nature is when I was 9 years old. A family friend, Martha, took me camping at Massanutten. I loved it except for the spiders! There was a giant, black and yellow spider at the entrance of the bathroom/shower facility that absolutely terrified me. There were also multiple jumping spiders in the shower stalls! Be that as it may, I didn't shower much on that trip! I'm sure Martha was relieved to return me to my parents for a much needed shower.

2) How did you get involved in CSG?

I wanted to be a part of an organization that is actively involved in food justice, education, and empowerment issues in the community. The folks at CNE told me about CSG and I reached out. Lucky for me, the folks at CSG are welcoming.

3) What’s your favorite part of being involved in CSG? (or going to be)

Right now I haven't done too much but I do serve with Neal, Wendy, and Crystal on the Governance Committee. I also enjoyed processing butternut squash for March's Harvest of the Month. That was fun in its own way. I hope to do something like that again.

4) What are your dreams for CSG in the future?

Expanding our reach by establishing more gardens and getting more people involved in our mission.

5) If you were a fruit or vegetable, what kind would you be and why?

That's a tough one. Probably a red pepper. Other than loving them to distraction they are super sweet and can be mixed in practically any dish to make it better.

To get information on our new board and staff members visit out website!