Monday, February 10, 2014

February 2014 Newsletter for Certified Square Foot Gardening Instructors


Official Publication of Square Foot Gardening Foundation

 Harvest of  News
In this Issue:
  • Richard Huntley of Auburn, CA - Welcome!
  • Book Bundle Special for Certified Instructors Only
  • How Food Hubs are Helping Farmers
  • Regional Food Hubs
  • Market Link: Get Approved to Accept SNAP for fresh produce
  • Edible Schoolyard Academy
  • About Seed Map
  • Chicago-based Green Youth Farm
  • Food Tank - A Think Tank
  • Saving Lives at Birth Grants
  • Announcements and Upcoming Events


Welcome to New Certified Instructor
Richard Huntley of Auburn,CA says-
"I already teach at various places including
local garden clubs and I do a “garden report” on a local radio station bi-weekly (Thursdays at 12:15-12:30).  I have three gardens going at schools and have started a series of workshops at the Placer Nature Center, where the public can visit and see SFGs in action. I have two upcoming speaking engagements at garden clubs where the topic is
SFG. There is an article on my SFGs in the local paper at http://www.auburnjournal.com/article/grid-idea-saving-water."





 

  Book Bundle Case Special

Buy 3 case and get a case FREE

Special Includes:

  • 1 case of Cook Books - This book is a one of a kind - they are no longer on the market - we are officially the only retail distributor of this book. The beauty of this hard bound treasure has everything to do with what you as a Certified instructor are promoting. Healthy eating - the how to harvest portion of SFG - this book has a wealth of knowledge for the first time gardener. You have taught them how to SFG now this book will guide them through the growth and harvest to the table.
  • 2 cases of 2nd Edition All New Square Foot Gardening Book - Finally we have gotten in from the publisher our Authors first editions of these books - there is a limited quantity available and we will only be able to offer this price just once. There are 2 new chapters - lots of answers to the Pests and other problems that our SFGers face - Mel has addressed them here. What better way to close your class and lectures then with the sale of this book.
  • 1 Case of the Original Square Foot Gardening Book - the "Bible" of SFG - this book really is an amazing resource - once you get into SFG this book has the rest of the story...
Retail cost if purchased separately $846.40
Memorial Day CI Special Sale price $400.00
Savings of $446.40 - more then 50% off

Sales Breakdown :

36 2nd Ed @ $24.99 = $899.64
20 CookBook @ $19.99 = $399.80
22 Original @ = $439.78
Retail Value $1,739.22
Less cost $400.00
Profit $1,339.22
Shipping charges will be at actual cost and calculated at check out.
Please email Jenny or Erik at HQ with any questions thestore@squarefootgardening.com - subject CI Memorial Day Special
1 Special per Certified Instructor  
***You must login to your account (that is connected to wholesale) at www.squarefootgardening.com to see this special. All instructors are allowed to connect to wholesale. Create an account at www.squarefootgardening.com and then email belinda@squarefootgardening.com when you have done so. Allow 3-5 days to be connected.
 
 
Other special pricing
4x4 Cypress Pin Box- (Minimum order of 10) for $55.00 a box
Mels Mix 2 cu.ft bags- Pallet of 50 bags - $600 or $12.00 per bag
Non Coated conduit 4x4 Vertical Growing Tower- (minimum order of 10)- $35.00 per tower
Premium coated 4x4 Trellis- $45.00 (no minimum- this is the same price that is on the website because it is a product we are liquidating)
Roll of Weed Mat between 200 and 250 ft- $100
Bag of netting 700 ft- $350
4x4 Wood Grids- (minimum Order of 10) - $10 per grid
Case of Answer books- $200.00
2nd Edition case- $250.00
 



How Food Hubs are Helping New Farmers Break into Local Food
“Lots of consumers are smitten with local food, but they're not the only ones. The growing market is also providing an opportunity for less experienced farmers to expand their business and polish their craft.

But they need help, and increasingly it's coming from food hubs, which can also serve as food processing and distribution centers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that there are in more than 40 states plus the District of Columbia.”

Read more at NPR.org


Read about the Stewards of the Land LLC – a Fairbury, Illinois Food Hub

http://www.thestewardsoftheland.com/



Getting to Scale with Regional Food Hubs, USDA blog

By Jim Barham, Food Hub Team Leader, Agricultural Marketing Service


One answer to help regional producers may be a ”food hub.”

Our working definition of a food hub is “a centrally located facility with a business management structure facilitating the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and/or marketing of locally/regionally produced food products.”  By actively coordinating these activities along the value chain, food hubs are providing wider access to institutional and retail markets for small to mid-sized producers, and increasing access of fresh healthy food for consumers, including underserved areas and food deserts.

One example is La Montanita in New Mexico, which buys from over 700 local farmers and producers, and warehouses and processes over 1,100 local products that are sold through the La Montanita retail co-op locations and other retail markets across the state.

There’s also Appalachian Sustainable Development, which offers technical support, training and marketing support to over 50  local farmers, and aggregates their products for regional distribution across rural Appalachia.

And the Detroit Eastern Market is a food hub, offering warehouse, storage, processing, marketing and retail functions to hundreds of Michigan producers, allowing them to participate in the state’s biggest market.


- See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2010/12/14/getting-to-scale-with-regional-food-hubs/#sthash.Dra6Rjgj.dpuf


Market Link: Get Approved to Accept SNAP Benefits and Get a Government Grant to Purchase Electronic Equipment

By Audrey Rowe, Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service

“America’s farmers’ markets are a great source of fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods, and at USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), we’ve made it a priority to expand healthy food access through farmers’ markets to those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It’s a win-win situation because, for farmers markets, the ability to accept SNAP benefits is a great way to build their customer base, which helps generate more sales and nourish the economy in our rural communities.

As Administrator of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, I place a high value on partnerships because, working together, we can achieve more toward shared goals than by working alone. The USDA recently contracted with the National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP), in an effort to enhance the participation of farmers and farmers markets in SNAP.  And out of that innovative partnership, I am excited to announce MarketLink, a new way for farmers’ markets and direct-marketing farmers to get authorized as SNAP vendors and get the equipment they need to accept SNAP benefits.”


- See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/01/16/expanding-snap-farmers-market-access-through-innovative-partnerships/#sthash.qkmvOeVi.dpuf

 

                  The Edible Schoolyard Academy


The Edible Schoolyard Academy trains educators to create powerful and sustainable edible education programs in their schools and communities. Each June, we invite teachers, administrators, and advocates from around the world to spend five days behind the scenes at the Edible Schoolyard Berkeley. Learn and experience first-hand the core principles and practical tools for bringing academic subjects to life in the kitchen, garden, and lunchroom. Whether you are a new or seasoned practitioner, the Academy will strengthen your program and build your leadership in the field. 
Applications for the 2014 ESY Academy are now open! Click here to apply. Applications are due March 23, 2014. 

General Information
When: Sunday, June 22 - Thursday, June 26
Where: The Edible Schoolyard Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $650 (includes tuition, breakfast and lunch for four days, and one dinner)
Application Process: Applications to attend the Edible Schoolyard Academy are due March 23, 2014. If applying as a group, please only submit one application for your program. Applicants will be notified by April 18, 2014. Registration and final payment are due May 30, 2014. 
This year, the Edible Schoolyard is partnering with UC Berkeley to provide 1.5 continuing education credits for interested Academy participants, at an additional cost of $225 to participants.

Learn more
http://edibleschoolyard.org/academy



SEED MAP -A website dedicated to seeds, biodiversity, and food, Seedmap.org features an interactive map that shows seed diversity, threats to the planet’s biodiversity, and solutions. After it launches in October, kids and adults can look at the site to learn about the state of agro-biodiversity all over the world. Seedmap.org is a product of USC Canada and the ETC Group. Learn more at: SeedMap.org



            CHICAGO-BASED GREEN YOUTH FARM

Every year, the Chicago-based Green Youth Farm hires 60 high school students from ages 15 to 18 to work from mid-May to mid-October on an organic farm, managing bees, selling produce at markets, and cooking with the produce they’ve grown.

Read more about it at: Green Youth Farm


                       FOOD TANK, A Think Tank
"It's back-to-school time for children, adolescents, and young adults in many countries all over the world. Once these students have returned to their classrooms, however, it’s unlikely that they’ll be learning about food and nutrition. According to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, in the United States alone, elementary school students only receive an average of 3.4 hours of food education per year.

But it's more important than ever to educate and engage kids in the food system, especially as farming populations age. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the average age of an American farmer is 57 years old, and 60 percent of farmers in the country are over the age of 55. All over the world, the farming population is diminishing, and this is a crucial moment for youth to realize the importance of farming and become involved in all aspects of the food system--from producing and processing food to becoming agronomists, scientists, chefs, and policy-makers. Jon Previant, Executive Director of The FARM Institute, said it best in an interview with Food Tank: “Kids spread the fever.”

Food Tank has compiled a list of 14 initiatives all over the world that are educating youth about agriculture, and creating a genuine interest in safe, sustainable, and healthy food." Check it out at www.foodtank.org.




 
Round IV Request for Applications (RFA)
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Government of Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada and the U.K.’s Department for International Development (DFID) invite global problem solvers to answer their fourth call for groundbreaking prevention and treatment approaches for pregnant women and newborns in poor, hard-to-reach communities around the time of childbirth.
Specifically, the challenge seeks to identify and develop transformative approaches that integrate new technologies, better service delivery models and improved “demand side” innovations that empower pregnant women and their families to practice healthy behaviors and be aware of and access health care during pregnancy, childbirth and the early postnatal period, especially the first 2 days after birth.
The partners anticipate awarding 25 seed grants and 5 transition-to-scale grants as a result of the final RFA. The actual number of awards in each category may vary.
Learn more and answer their call for innovative ideas.
Please help us spread the word and share this notice with a broad range of experts in a variety of disciplines. Help us spark transformational change and accelerate substantial and sustainable progress against maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths at the community level. Together, we can transform insurmountable development challenges into solvable problems.
 Announcements and Upcoming Events

Mel’s book, Square Foot Gardening with Kids - Don’t forget your copy – get several! Available for pre-order; release date March 15 Click here to learn more or order

Our OFFICIAL ONLINE CERTIFICATION CLASSES to become a certified SFG Instructor Upcoming Dates are: March 6, 13 & 20 (12pm EST) Click here to register or learn more; Click here to sign up for a FREE trial

Live Radio show “Get fit with SFG” on www.ftns.co
Learn about how to get fit with Amie Guyette Hall on her web show, Fitness Radio! http://www.ftns.co  Amie features SFG every Monday at 10:20am PST

FREE Square Foot Gardening Classes, Georgetown, Texas. An ongoing class held throughout the year, taught by certified instructors. Learn more

Picayune, Mississippi, SFG Classes February 22, 2014, from 10am-11:30am; taught by Brenda Myers, Certified SFG Instructor – Learn more

Minnesota – Pat and Connie Lahr, Certified SFG Instructors and Gardening World Wide Square Foot Gardening Community Education

Class Dates:
March 4, 2014 - St. Michael, Minn.
March 10, 2014 - Buffalo, Minn.
March 11, 2014 - Howard Lake, Minn.
March 13, 2014 - Monticello, Minn.
March 18, 2014 - Delano, Minn.
April 10, 2014 - St. Louis Park, Minn. 7 p.m.
Learn more

Zion Library, Illinois, Dunesland Garden Club, March 11, 2014, Square Foot Gardening class taught by Anne Marie Kowalski – Learn more

Western Nevada College, Carson City, Nancy & Ken Clarke, certified SFG Instructors offer Square Foot Gardening Classes, 4/12/2014 - 4/26/2014 Learn more

Western Nevada College, Fallon, Nancy Clarke instructor, Fee: $51.00
Dates: 4/12/2014 - 5/3/2014                 

Days: Saturday Sessions: 4 

Times: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Learn more


Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids Charter Township, MI 49525, (616) 957-1580
 
Square Foot Gardening Part 1 2014

Grow more food in less space with much less effort. Learn how to create the perfect soil, build raised beds, and use the square foot technique to achieve a bountiful harvest using organic methods. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Richard Peters
Tuesday, March 4
7-8:30pm
Fee: $20 members, $27 non-members
Applies toward MSU Extension Master Gardener education credit

Square Foot Gardening Part 2 2014

In this extended course, designed for those who have taken Part 1, learn about growing techniques using trellises and cages, how to control common pests organically, proven ways to plant in succession, and tips for crop rotation. Then discover valuable tips for several popular vegetables like beets, spinach, snap peas and carrots. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Richard Peters
Tuesday, March 18
7-8:30pm
Fee: $20 members, $27 non-members
Applies toward MSU Extension Master Gardener education credit.  Learn more
 
University of Tennessee Gardens, Crossville  -
Square Foot Gardening
Saturday, April 5, 2014
9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
What: Join Master Gardener Fred Mullen as he shares the techniques and tips to
successful Square Foot Gardening.
Where: UT Gardens-Crossville, 320 Experiment Station Road, Crossville
Price: Free
To register: Call 931-484-0034 or email gwisdom@utk.edu

Denver Urban Homesteading, Denver, Colorado, March 8, Square Foot Gardening Classes by Regina Chilton- Parris Learn more

Ongoing GROUP classes for 2014 with discounted rates “Introduction to SFG” by Jim Teahan, Certified SFG instructor. Jim offers various groups-only packages featuring classes in Salt Lake City, UT, throughout the state of Utah, and one package is offered in Utah, southern Idaho, and southern California. Learn more

 
 
 
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