Official Publication of Square Foot Gardening Foundation
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Harvest of News
In this Issue:
- Welcome to new Certified Instructors
- Announcing SFG Answer Book Hot Off the Press!
- Steven Howard: Growing Your Own Grub Podcast
- San Diego Symposium Update and Photos
- SFGF Supports Saint Vincents in San Diego
- CYBER MONDAY SALE!!
- A Poem on Square Foot Gardening
- Upcoming Events and Announcements
- Open Letter to Hurricane Sandy Victims
- Vote for Transitions in the Citgo Fueling Good Contest
- Happy Thanksgiving!
- SFGF is hosting a Drawing with Great Prizes Month of November
WELCOME TO NEW CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS
Cindy Kinney, Paw Paw, MI & the photo above is her beautiful SFG-2.jpg)
Steven Howard Oroville, CA
Barrett Bright Cyprus TX
Willie Pate Jackson, TN
Keith Fabisiak Soquel, CA (now THAT is broccoli - wow!!!!)
Betty Bianconi, Littleton, NC (Betty will be hosting a SFG symposium in March 2013 Halifax, NC - no photo - maybe next time. Check out her fun poem below!!)
Alexis Price, San Diego, CA SFGF staff
Joyce Swanson, South Dakota
Joyce Swanson's gorgeous SFG's!
SAN DIEGO SYMPOSIUM GRADUATES (Check out photos of the Symposium in the write-up below)
Ben Norman Palmdale, CA
Roberta Murray Denver, CO
Suzanne McHenry La Mesa, CA
Abigail Gonzalez Chula Vista, CA
Carolyn Juarez Santee, CA
Joyce L White Las Vegas, NV
Janelle Rideau San Juan Capistrano, CA
Jim Hamilton Oceanside, CA
Quenby (Q) Dunlap Ojai, CA
Bowen W Coen Victorville, CA
SFG ANSWER BOOK WILL SOON BE IN STORES NEAR YOUMel Bartholomew's new book will hit the shelves in time for Christmas - the SFG Answer Book has arrived! But YOU can get it in the SFGF online store on Cyber Monday - November 26th!!Get 100s of answers straight from Mel himself! SFG Answer Book covers a wide range of questions that people have always asked Mel. Now, they're all in one book, indexed, with Mel's answers. This is a reference book you'll return to time and again. Teachers - this is a great manual to add to your teaching tools! Get answers and solutions to questions like:- What to do about garden pests
- Organic pesticides
- Plant spacing
- Troubleshooting
- Vertical gardening
- Keeping pests out of the garden
- Gardening for the disabled
- Tips and tricks to increase production
- & so many more!
It will be available in our online e-store on Cyber Monday, November 26thIt will be available very soon at Barnes & Nobles, Amazon and major bookstores!Order yours today! Never be without the answers to your SFG questions again when you have this book.Remember if you order products from SFGF as gifts, our last order date for Christmas orders is December 19th. Place your order at least one week before December 19th if you want it to arrive before Christmas! Those who wait to the 19th to order, the orders will ship on December 21st and will not make it before Christmas, but will arrive sometime that week. Remember all proceeds from the SFGF online store go to fund the foundation's work in the U.S.A. and abroad.
Steven Howard: Growing Your Own Grub Blog and Podcast
Steven (or Steve) Howard of Oroville, California (but formerly of Texas) is one of Square Foot Gardening Foundation's latest certified instructors. He's also the owner of www.growingyourgrub.com and BorntoFarm.com.Here's what Steve says about Born to Farm:"Fresh food, fresh air, how to do it yourself, and enjoy doing it... Showing how I do it is the goal of Growing Your Grub."Steve does a lot of podcasts and he has developed a large following. His business is called Farmcast Network. This network includes:- Born To Farm (Small Farmers, Clean Food)
- Growing Your Grub (growing, preserving and cooking your own food)
- Pursuing a Country Life (Planning and living on a country homestead)
San Diego Graduates - Ready to change the world one SFG at a time San Diego Symposium
The San Diego, California, Symposium, held at world-famous Balboa Park has come and gone, but we have photos to share with you. It was a great success, and SFGF now has many more certified teachers to take SFG to the world! Congratulations to all who participated! We are really on our way to changing the world!
SFGF Supports St. Vincent de Paul VillageSt. Vincent de Paul Village is a homeless shelter and transitional facility in San Diego, California. We established a garden at the shelter last year. Saint Vincent's holds a weekly gardening class for its clients and gives its long-term clients the opportunity to apply for a $50 a month "internship" to water the garden twice a day and to be responsible for taking produce to the kitchen for meal preparation.
Some of St. Vincent's clients were once professional gardeners before falling into hard times. St. Vincent's allows some of its clients who want to have "their own plot" a space in the garden for them to grow what they wish, when they wish. That's not much of a "community" garden, but it has been good for some of St. Vincent's clients to have a garden space to care for that is solely their own.
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| Santa's coming early this year! Hurrah! |
CYBER MONDAY SALE!!
- Monday, November 26, 2012 at www.squarefootgardening.com
Get ready! Get Set! Go! This is the sale we've all been waiting for! It's the perfect time to buy unique Christmas gifts & to reward yourself for being good all year!Cyber Monday Sale –All of our newsletter subscribers, instructors & SFG fans are eligible for a coupon for 10% off all merchandise (excluding shipping).Get a free signed SFGF Cook Book with orders over $100.00.Mel's latest book - SFG Answer Book – is hot off the press! It will be available in our online store for Cyber Monday and Christmas shopping!Enjoy the convenience of Paypal™ "Bill Me Later®" to help with your Christmas shopping – now available for all of your orders from SFGF!Be the only one in your neighborhood to own our beautiful, white, powder-coated, LIMITED EDITION SFG Garden trellis. We have a limited supply on hand, so be at the website first thing on Monday November 26th to snag this limited edition item at a very special price!Get the ever-popular SIGNED SCHOOL TROWEL for only a 10.00 donation – this donation will empower SFGF to place boxes in classrooms.Get your "SFG Snow" for Christmas - Coarse Vermiculite will finally be available for purchase from our online store - shipped direct to your door.NEW ITEMS: We will also be carrying coconut coir and worm castings. Great for plumping up your SFG or making your own Mel's Mix.Handmade Veggie Sun Dryer - this is a wooden box with Plexiglas® and screened shelves for natural drying of your harvest - tomatoes do amazingly well with sun drying.STOCKING STUFFERS!! Come to the website Monday 11/26 to see our selection!GET A FREE GIFT WITH EVERY NEW ORDER PLACED! With each new order placed, you get a free download of one of the classic PBS-series videos featuring Mel!Gift Wrapping is available for early Christmas shoppers. We'll even include a free Christmas tag with your inscription for a family member or any gift recipient. -
Veterans Day
Square Foot Gardening Foundation would like to say THANK YOU and tip our hats to all of our armed forces personnel, and to offer our services to any member of the armed forces.
Hero GardensThe SFG Foundation has instituted a very special program for our deployed service members and their families. We knew the pain of separation and the loss that occurs within the family unit when one member has been removed and answered the call of our nation. Quite often the only connection between home and the loved one will be a brief phone call. This can be sometimes awkward and a sad moment. Especially between parent and child. We are moved by the need to help reconnect families. Our idea is to send the deployed family member a SFG and also send the children at home one. This creates a common bond and gives a piece of home back to the service member. There is nurturing and healing in the care of the garden. The ease of conversation is the sharing of what is growing and happening between the two gardens. This is a small idea that can really make a difference and if you know anyone who would benefit from this program please write to us at sfgstore@gmail.com. We support our Troops. We salute you this Veterans Day and also want to offer a free Original SFG Book in honor of your service to the United States of America.
Please email sfgstore@gmail.com & let us know your name & address so we can rush your free book to you.On November 11th - WE SALUTE YOU!
Square Foot Gardening(Apply a rap beat as you read it! )
I’m telling you what you need to knowAbout Square Food Gardening Yo!It’s easy, simple, and for you "no hoe"Involving families, elders, the common Joe.Start planting seeds, you’re ready to sow.In a 4X4 box, special soil, grid to go!Enjoy the box; forget the row.A few months later, a vegetable show.That’s Square Food Gardening.~Betty BiaconiAnnouncements & Upcoming Events
- SFG "Garden Time" Potting Soil is now available at select Lowes and Home Depot stores – look for it at a store near you!
- Learn about how to get fit with certified SFG Instructor, Amie Guyette Hall, on her web show; Fitness Radio! www.ftns.co Amie features SFG every Monday at 10:20am PST
- Cyber Monday at www.squarefootgardening.com on Monday, November 26, 2012!
- Get a free full-color seed catalog from J.W. Jung Seed Co. Send us your name, mailing address & "request catalog" in email subject line; you will receive your catalog after Christmas. Special offers & products for SFGers.
- Look in the November General Newsletter for a 10% OFF coupon for Cyber Monday -- or get it on the website.
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Please mark your calendars: The online store will be closed Dec 19th to January 3rd for inventory and season prep - and maintenance. There will be a small selection of items available for sale and download during this time - but not the full store. Emails and phone calls will be answered in January.
City of Columbia, SC, Family Day Harvest Fest, Nov. 18th, 2-5 pm:
The City of Columbia and the Department of Parks and Recreation present a fun-filled family day to celebrate the arrival of the harvest season. The event date is Sunday, November 18th from 2PM to 5PM. Stop by to see Victoria & SFGF staff, who will be on hand giving SFG demonstrations!The location is: NOMA Community Garden, 2700 River Drive, Columbia, South Carolina 29203. For more information, contact The Department of Parks and Recreation, 803.545.3100. Festival-goers can:
- Browse and support the wares of local restaurants and food growers and enjoy low-cost samples of their tastiest, healthiest dishes.
- Place orders for additional dishes just in time for Thanksgiving.
- Visit with local artists as they share their creative ideas.
- Talk with health care providers who will provide information needed to improve wellness and/or maintain a healthy lifestyle
Message to the Victims of Hurricane Sandy – 'Storm of the Century'From Mel Bartholomew, Victoria Boudman, and all of our SFGF staff, teachers, and volunteers:Our thoughts, love, and prayers go out to all who have endured, and continue the cleanup from, the wrath of Hurricane Sandy.The storm barreled down the east coast, and made landfall in New Jersey, leaving devastation in its path across several states. Prior to hitting the USA, Hurricane Sandy wreaked its havoc upon Haiti and the Caribbean. We know there are many who have suffered greatly.God bless all of the brave men and women who are helping others during this trying time. We applaud you & our hearts are with you!
Square Foot Gardening Foundation supports Midlands Housing Alliance, Inc. (AKA Transitions)SFGF donated and planted SFGs at the center to teach the patrons self-sustaining life skills and provide food. Programs and services offered by Transitions help homeless clients in Midlands S.C. to achieve stable, permanent housing & income. Emergency needs such as overnight housing, food, & showers are also provided.For this reason, we ask you to vote for Transitions in the Citgo Fueling Good Contest. Citgo gift cards will support the well-being and health of more than 2000 individuals who receive services at Transitions every year. Gift cards will help fuel their transport van to get clients to local provider services, job fairs, and job interviews. It only takes a few minutes to vote & you can cast one vote daily until November 28th!
- Happy Thanksgiving to You & Yours from Mel, Victoria, and all of the SFGF staff!
SPECIAL DRAWING FOR PRIZES ENTIRE MONTH OF NOVEMBERWe are currently hosting a contest in honor of our Grand Opening and fully operational headquarters on Two Notch Road in Columbia, S.C., as well as the SFGF Retail Store! Everyone who stops in and says hello the Month of November is automatically entered in the drawing.We are giving away:- A grand prize of one complete SFG (that's the box, the grid, and the Mel's mix)
- 1st prize – A free garden consultation and garden plan with Victoria
Plus FOUR MORE PRIZES of Mel's latest, hot-off-the-press book - SFG Answer Book - personally hand-signed by Mel.Office & Retail Store Hours:Closed Sunday and MondayOpen Tues thru Fri, noon to 7 pmOpen Saturday, 10 am to 4 pmConsultations are available by appointment
