May Newsletter for Square Foot Gardening Instructors

Official Publication of Square Foot Gardening Foundation

 Harvest of  News

In this Issue:

• Welcome to new Certified Instructors
• Spotlight on Nick Bell, Grabbing Headlines in Perth, Australia
• Bird's Haven Farms
• For Mother's Day: Read about WomenShare, a coalition of women working for change
• Get Inspired: Featured Photo by Kay Gregory
• Announcements & Upcoming Events
  

    

  WELCOME TO NEW CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS

  
   Ann Classen, Meade, KS
  
   Barbara Stoll
  of Metairie, LA
  
  
  
   Christine Morgan
  Glen Rose, TX
  
  
  
   Stacy Best
  Fort Wright, KY
  
  
  
   Terry Hartzell
  Perrysville, OH
  
  
  
   Victor Gann
  Dacula, GA
  
  
   
   Suzanne Bergen of Harrison Township, MI
  
  
  
  Jenny Sullivan of Murray, UT
  
  
  
   Adrienne Z Milligan of Puyallop, WA
  
  
  MORE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS (sorry - no photos!)
  
  Kay Gregory of Amherst, MA
  Marianne Jiminez of Cottonwood, AZ
  
  Don Kanarr of Wyckoff, NJ
  David Silvia of Wilmington, NC
   
  
  
  
  
  
  

  SPOTLIGHT ON:  NICK BELL, HORTICULTURALIST & SFG CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR, in PERTH, AUSTRALIA

   Nick says, "It's hip to be square." 
  

  

  Read the article in full here. Square Foot Gardening was a star attraction at the Perth Garden Week-2013. Nick had on-air interviews with two different radio stations, and stories were published in the ‘West Australian Newspaper’ and the Local ‘Voice’ Newspaper.  He demonstrated and promoted Square Foot Gardening to several thousand enthusiastic people during the five days of the show. Several schools and councils have asked Nick to work with them to develop community gardens and he has accepted speaking engagements at many gardening clubs. 

  Here is a scanned story from a suburban newspaper, The Perth Voice.  
  
  Nick Bell was a guest of ‘Lets Talk Gardening’ on Radio 100.1fm. This was the 5^th radio gardening talk back show that he has appeared on in April about SFG. Nick reported that listener responses on every occasion were enthusiastic. In a short time, he has generated a strong demand for Square Foot Gardening in Western Australia.
  
  Nick's Square Foot Gardening exhibit at Garden Week featured a four-tier raised garden modelled on the photograph in ‘Getting Started with a Square Foot Garden’ by Mel Bartholomew. 
  
  
  Nick also exhibited SFGs in reused 600 x 400 x 150 mm heavy-duty plastic vegetable crates divided with a wooden grid to make them into 2sq foot modular square foot gardens. These gardens were mass planted with flourishing vegetables using the 1,4,9 and 16 format according to vegetable size, inter-spaced with marigolds and arranged in groups of four (like Lego Blocks) and were the talk of the show. 
  
  
  The Bioactive Cocopeat growing medium that Nick uses proved a great success and will be offered as an alternative to Mel’s Mix which will also be made available in 1000L Bulk Bags. Many orders for Square Foot Gardens and growing medium were taken at Garden Week and all 50 of the ready planted 2Sq Ft crates were sold and have already been delivered.  Many disciples intend to make their own boxes and Nick is negotiating with potential suppliers to produce lay-flat wooden boxes and foldable grids.
  
  
  Nick is also in discussions with www.eWoodgardens.com.au about wood look-alike boxes in various sizes that are available in kit form. Although the boxes are 200mm (8”) deep, Nick will recommend that they be filled only to the 150mm (6”) level to maintain the integrity of the legitimate SFG. His plan now is to expand his interest in Square Foot Gardening into developing a three-generation family business with his daughter and grandchildren. 

  "The next step is to establish a model Square Foot Home Garden and liaise with the popular Open Garden Scheme to invite people to visit the garden on open days and participate in Square Foot Gardening workshops. Please study the eWood Website and share the information with Mel. I will welcome opinions from both of you and other associates about the suitability of eWood Kits, and my business plans. I treasure my Square Foot Gardening journey." ~Nick Bell

  
  
  
  
  What can we say, except "Way to go! - Go on with it, Nick!!" Congratulations from SFGF, Mel, Belinda, Victoria & all the gang. We look forward to seeing all your plans come to pass and wish you superlative success! Thanks for sharing your ideas and success story!
  
  Resources:
  Hear Nick, "the Guru of Grass" on the radio at http://www.6pr.com.au/gardening 
  

   

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Happy Mother's Day

  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  Bird's Haven Farms

  "Bryn Bird is a farm girl hailing from a dirt road just north of Granville.  She grew up raising livestock and produce on her family's farm.  She earned a master's degree in public health from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and now works with Rural Coalition, a grassroots alliance focused on bringing justice and equity to food and farm policy for rural communities and people."
  
  
  Bryn is teaching SFG classes at The Going Green Store, in addition to all her other responsibilities.
  
  
  
  
  

  

  WomenShare

    

  According to their website, the mission of WomenShare is to "accelerate change toward a healthy, sustainable, and just food and agricultural system through surfacing the collective wisdom of women." 

  
  
  Headed by Theresa Marquez,
  Mission Executive for the nation’s largest organic farmer cooperative and the largest farmer-owned organic brand, Organic Valley, WomenShare brings together women interested in organic, natural foods and sustainable agriculture to put their hearts and minds together to bring about much-needed change.
  
  
  The event for 2013 took place in the last week of April. Read more at their website,
  
  

  http://www.womenshare.org
  

   

  GET INSPIRED!

  
  

   

  
  

  Add bold color to your garden!  These lovely, red, raised SFGs belong to new Certified Instructor, Kay Gregory.

  
  

  
  

  

  

   ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

  
  
  • Every Monday – Get Fit with Amie Guyette Hall 10:20am – 11:20am (Pacific Time) Online at www.ftns.co Amie is a Certified SFG Instructor & co-teaches our Online Certification Classes with Belinda Jensen. Hear different guests weekly.
  • May 4, 6, 11, 13 & 18, 2013, Fallon, Nevada, SFG Course at WNC Community College (map) Go to http://www.wnc.edu/ce/  Select "Non-Credit Class Schedule," and look under "Home and Garden." Hours vary. Call or email Susan Emmons if you have any questions. Phone: 775-423-7565, ext. 2240; Fax: 775-423-8029; E-mail: Susan.Emmons@wnc.edu.  Class taught by SFG instructors, Ken & Nancy Clarke.
  • May 2, 2013, 6-8 pm, Wasatch County Library
    465 East 1200 South - Heber City, Utah – 75-minute talk on SFG by Jim Teahan, Certified SFG instructor and author of The Wealthy Earth. Learn more & view map.
  • May 4, 2013, 10am – 11:30am, Morgan County Library, 50 North 100 West Morgan, Utah "Introductory SFG" taught by Jim Teahan, Certified Instructor and author of The Wealthy Earth. Read more & view map.
  • May 11, 2013, 9am – 11:30am, Square Foot Gardening Lite, Neighborhood Garden, 676 East Country Breeze Circle, Draper, Utah. Class taught by Jim Teahan. Learn more and view map.
  • May 11, 2013, SFG Class, Five Corners Farmer’s Market Winter Sustainability Series, Five Corners, Vermont.  Learn More.
  • May 2^nd – May 30^th, 2013, Lyceum of Monterey County, 1073 6^th Street, Monterey, CA. "Square Foot Gardening ~ Learn how to garden with earth –friendly methods." Principles of Square Foot Gardening in Monterey's climate zone. Make your own Square Foot Garden. Teaches 3 R’s: –Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Combine subject matter such as math, history, geography, art, and science. Cooperative neighborhood gardening. Ages: 3rd grade and up (younger students allowed if parents accompany them.) Learn more & view map. Classes held on Thursdays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm.
  • May 15, 2013, Highland, Utah, A free one-hour Introductory class on Wed. at 7 pm, Highland Library. 5400 W Civic Center Dr  Highland, Utah. Taught by Belinda Jensen, SFGF's own Teacher Liaison! Learn more.
  • May 16, 2013, 6:00pm, North Central Research Extension Center, Minot, South Dakota, Square Foot Gardening class taught by North Dakota State University Extension Agent, Paige Brummond. To register, call 701-857-6444, or register online at www.ag.ndsu.edu/wardcountyextension. Class is free but registration is required. Learn more & more details here.
  • May 18, 2013, 12noon – 2pm, Square Foot Gardening class, The Going Green Store, Granville, Ohio, taught by Bryn Bird, Certified SFG Instructor Learn more here.
  • May 18, 2013 and June 22, 2013, Glen Burnie, Maryland, SFG 101, SFG 201 & SFG 301 (both classes). Pre-registration required. Limited to 10 per class. Taught by Jerry Lupinos and Kim Roman, both US veterans and Certified Teachers of the Square Foot Gardening method. Learn more. Email sfgkimroman@yahoo.com.
  • May 18, 2013, 10am – 11am, Valley Natural Foods, 13750 County Road 11, Burnsville, MN, 55337, Square Foot Gardening, Instructor: John Zweber, Dakota County Master Gardener, Free, Minimum: 3 people, Learn the basics of SFG, the practice of planning small, but intensively planted gardens. Learn more.
  • May 18, 2013, 9:00am to 4:00pm, Adirondack Folk School, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, New York, 12846. Cost: $45. Taught by Patricia Goldberg and Peter Watts. Learn more.
  • June 1 & 2, 2013, Puyallup, Washington, Mother Earth News Fair, SFG Workshops Three "Gardening for Life" Workshops at Puyallup Fairgrounds, 110 9^th Avenue Southwest Puyallup, Washington, 98371. Saturday Fair hours: 9 am -7 pm; Sunday Fair hours: 10 am -6 pm. Contact Wayne Burleson at rutbuster@montana.net
  
  

  

  Contact Us: 

  Belinda Jensen, Teacher Liaison / Editor, belinda@squarefootgardening.com

  Sally Odum, Communications Writer, sally@squarefootgardening.com

  
  

Important Retraction to April Newsletter

RETRACTION TO APRIL 2013 NEWSLETTER

In our April Newsletter, we incorrectly reported that Home Depot would ship Mel's Mix for no more than $55 shipping.  We regret to inform you that this was not accurate.  

We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused any of you, and if you have already ordered Mel's Mix from Home Depot, we urge you to contact us at TheStore@SquareFootGardening.com to let us know.  Please do not contact Home Depot about this matter.


Thank you and Happy Gardening,

The Folks at SFG

Square Foot Gardening Instructor Newsletter - April 2013

Official Publication of Square Foot Gardening Foundation

 Harvest of  News

In this Issue:

• Welcome to new Certified Instructors
• What's New at SFGF?
• Message & Announcements from Belinda Jensen
• Special 1/2 Price Sale on Vinyl Boxes
• Busy Gardening Season is Upon You
• Amie Guyette Hall: SFG'ing with Boyscout Troops
• Pat & Connie Lahr Parade Link
• Get Inspired: Featured Photos by Mick Manfield & Belinda Jensen
• Announcements & Upcoming Events
  

    

  WELCOME TO NEW CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS

  

  Bob Ridenour Avon IN

   

  Karine Roch
  1st Certified Instructor in Waadt,Switzerland!

  

  Amber Pacheco Maynard, MA

  

   Jennifer Telford San Diego, CA

  

  Hughes Roberts Waynesville, NC

  

  This beautiful garden belongs to Renee' Curlee, Powder Springs, GA

  More new instructors (sorry no photos!)

   Mike Reust of Oak Park, IL
  
  Colin Legge Loveland, CO
   

  Tammy Adams Keene NH

  
  

  

•   WHAT'S NEW AT SQUARE FOOT GARDENING FOUNDATION?

  
  Out in California, Mel and Cynthia Ruybal are working on a new partnership putting SFGs in a prison for juvenile offenders. Cynthia also helped with a program in schools to bring school-grown vegetables into the school cafeteria.
  
  Mel's writing a children's book - SFG for Kids! He's also looking for a telecommute / volunteer typist / admin assistant. Email him if you're interested.
  
  Victoria taught a certification class in Halifax, North Carolina, in March with around 30 participants. It was a great success and received a lot of local press! In the past month, Victoria and staff participated in two SC festivals and Mel spoke at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, at their annual flower festival.
   
  Check out the upcoming events section - there are a lot of classes being sponsored by your fellow certified SFG instructors! You can get ideas from what others are doing.
  Online classes are still being taught by Belinda Jensen & Amie Guyette Hall and the program seems to be a great success!
  
  Heads up -- Home Depot has Square Foot Garden Potting Mix available online. If you order over 6 bags, shipping rate will stay at $55 even if you order 100 bags. Mel worked out this special deal with them, but we do not know how long it will last.
  
  Send us your news & photos so we can publish them for you. The more details you give, the better story we can write about it. Also indicate if you want it to appear in this newsletter and/or the general newsletter! You can send story ideas to sally@squarefootgardening.com. Do you have a success story you'd like to share with other instructors? Let us know! The newsletter goes live on the 10th of each month.   
  

  

  MESSAGE FROM BELINDA JENSEN

  NEW & IMPROVED INSTRUCTOR WEBSITE
  We're proud to announce the new and improved WWW.SFGTEACHER.ORG
  Now all the resources included in the Home Study Kit and much more
  are available online for download.  See photos, power points, publicity helps
  like lawn signs, banners,handouts,and brochures. Be sure to bookmark this site
  for all of your future SFG teaching and business needs! The user is sfg and the password is sertified.
  
  
  

  To Licensed Business Instructors: If you produce and sell Mels Mix under the SFGF licensed business contract, please contact belinda@squarefootgardening.com to be listed on squarefootgardening.org at http://www.squarefootgardening.org/?page_id=2432  for customers to purchase Mels Mix in your area. If you would like to see the licensing contract go to www.sfgteachers.org  under business forms. The user is sfg and password is sertified.

  
  

  
  Mark this on your Calendars - GRANT APPLICATION - "Sow it forward" is a program by Kitchen Gardeners International that offers $600 grants for nonprofit garden projects that benefit the community. It's closed for this year, but you can mark your calendars and come up with a brilliant idea for next year's grants. The deadline to apply is in early January. Read about it here: http://kgi.org/sow-it-forward.
  
  Study Guide Answers that Stand Out:
  

  Q.Why is it important to add a grid to the top of every SFG box?

  
  

  1. There are many benefits; appearance of course, planning, organization and on-going management and focus around the square grids. In my opinion the benefits of the grids with the mix make the SFG system work for anyone,"Without the grids,its guesswork."  Victor Gann of Dacula GA

  
  

  
  

  Q  Describe SFG in a short, concise sentence. 
  

  A. A fresh food garden grown in a 4 x 4 box, divided into 16 square foot sections with a permanent grid, grown in improved soils without chemicals that will provide a fresh garden salad harvest every day with less seed, water, weeds and work than a conventional garden. ~Meriel Cromarty of Alisa Craig Ontario,CAN

  
  Happy Gardening! 
  Belinda Jensen
  

   SPECIAL 1/2 PRICE SALE ON VINYL BOXES

  SFGF has a number of less-than-perfect vinyl boxes with minor blemishes or scuff marks. These are being offered at 1/2 price until the inventory is gone. They are sturdy and will still make very pretty gardens -- it's a great time to stock up if you need long-lasting vinyl garden boxes.
  

  

  The Busy Garden Season is Upon You... What to do Now?

  Here are some ideas that other CI's are doing for spring: 
  
  
  • Create a front yard SFG as a display at your home, a friend's home, your parent's home, etc. It will generate interest in the neighborhood, plus provide great vegetables!
  • Create a float or just a classic car with a sign on the side to go in local parades to advertise your business.
  • Host a booth in spring festivals - There are lots of flower and garden shows this time of year! Make sure you have business cards and / or flyers and lots of photos. You can even have posters made cheaply online.
  • Ask to teach a class at your local library or community college.
  • Use photos of your SFGs in advertisements (a picture is worth a thousand words - you might put it beside a photo of a messy, weedy row garden to increase the effect)
  • Expand your business to sell garden supplies, herbs, starter plants or cut flowers
  • Set up a roadside stand to sell spring vegetables
  • Work with a local girlscout or boyscout troop
  • Send a PR kit to local radio and tv stations to let them know you're available as an expert for interviews related to gardening  
  • Start a community garden in your city or community
  • Ask everyone you work with to refer a friend - word of mouth is still the best means of advertising
  • Start a blog or website   
     
  

  

  Amie Guyette Hall & Scout Master Bill Hall: SFG'ing with Boyscouts is Rewarding for All Concerned
  

  
  
  A recent March event in Fairfield, CT, had scouts and Amie Guyette Hall representing SFGF and healthy eating, and teaching the world new ways to end world hunger. Here's a link to an online writeup about the event.
  
  
  http://www.fairfieldcitizenonline.com/news/article/Food-for-Thought-Expo-feeds-appetite-for-4360248.php#photo-4335588
  
  
   http://bit.ly/10ebVsg
  
  
  There were over 1200 attendees at this free community event!
  
  
  Said Amy, "The scouts were fabulous -- now in their 4th year of doing this community service project and it has become their main fundraiser for the troop. They are very knowledgeable of SFG - over 20 names and contact info was taken for their scout-made SFG boxes - their first go-round will be making 20 boxes, with round two and three following that.
  
  
  Scout Master Bill Hall says, "This is a community service project that truly makes a difference not just in the community getting people to grow food, know where their food comes from, but watching these boys take ownership and seeing them use life skills to make it happen - doesn't get better than that - it's why we provide hands on learning experiences in scouting."
  
  
  The article was online and in print in the Fairfield Citizen.
   

   See Pat & Connie Lahr's Parade Float
  

  
  

  Pat & Connie Lahr sent us this link to City of Maple Lake Parade. They had a float promoting Gardening World Wide and Square Foot Gardening. Click on the emblem on the lower left of website.

  
  

  http://www.ci.maple-lake.mn.us/

  
  
  

  

   GET INSPIRED!
  
  A new look at Mick Manfield's (Manitoba, Canada) exuberant SFGs...
  
  

  

  
  Hip hip hurray for Belinda's April 2013 seed starts! Growing your own transplants saves money and gives you a head start, but also brings a great sense of satisfaction!
  
  

  

  

  ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS
  • Every Monday – Get Fit with Amie Guyette Hall 10:20am – 11:20am (Pacific Time) Online at www.ftns.co Amie is a Certified SFG Instructor & co-teaches our Online Certification Classes with Belinda Jensen. Hear different guests weekly.
  • April 2, 9 and 16, 2013 – Online Certified Instructor Course 6:00pm – 7:30pm. We educate Square Foot Gardeners on how to teach the SFG method. Certified Instructors use their knowledge to start their own SFG businesses, educate others in their communities about SFG, and implement hunger alleviating SFG projects in their communities and around the world. Become a Certified Instructor! Enroll here http://www.squarefootgardening.com/sfg-certification/online-square-foot-gardening-instructor-certification-course/
  • April 10^th & 17^th, 2013, Layton, Utah SFG 4-Week Course 7pm – 8pm, Layton High School. 440 Lancer Lane, Layton, UT. Contact Todd Liddiard liddiard7@msn.com
  • April 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 & May 4, 6, 11, 13 & 18, 2013, Fallon, Nevada, SFG Course at WNC Community College (map) Go to http://www.wnc.edu/ce/  Select "Non-Credit Class Schedule," and look under "Home and Garden." Hours vary. Call or email Susan Emmons if you have any questions. Phone: 775-423-7565, ext. 2240; Fax: 775-423-8029; E-mail: Susan.Emmons@wnc.edu.  Class taught by SFG instructors, Ken & Nancy Clarke.
  • April 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28, 2013, Canton, South Dakota, SFG Classes 481^st Avenue, Canton, SD, 57013  (map) Cost is $30 per person or $35 at door. Call Joyce Swanson at 605-359-0191 or email rogjoy1998@yahoo.com for info.
  • April 13, 2013, 10 am – 12 noon, Ann Arbor, Michigan, SFG 2-Hour Workshop Project Grow Community Garden and Leslie Science Center, 1831 Traver Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Cost is $10.00. James Lee, instructor. Email teachmesfg@gmail.com or visit http://projectgrowgardens.org/classes-events/classes
  • April 15, 2013, 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Maple Lake, Minnesota, Open SFG Garden, 4936 54th Street NW, 3/4 mile east of Maple Lake Off Hwy 55 North on Ferman (gravel Dead End) between Cenex Country Store and Shell. Hosted by GARDENING WORLD WIDE 501c3. Info: 320-963-3690 or pclahr@yahoo.com
  • April 20, 2013, Salt Lake City, Utah, Introduction to SFG, 10 am – 11 am, Utah Associated Garden Clubs, 1602 East 2100 South (on northeast corner of Sugarhouse Park). Contact Todd Liddiard liddiard7@msn.com
  • April 20, 2013, Alberta, Canada, SFG Course, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, Harry Ainlay School, Room 457. Contact Harry Adam hadam@mac.com. Register at http://edmonton.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=23279
  • April 27, 2013, Bountiful, Utah, SFG Intro Course, 1 pm – 2 pm, J & L Garden Center, 620 North 500 West, Bountiful, UT. Contact Todd Liddiard at liddiard7@msn.com.
  • June 1, 2013, Puyallup, Washington, Mother Earth News Fair, SFG Workshops Three "Gardening for Life" Workshops at Puyallup Fairgrounds, 110 9^th Avenue Southwest Puyallup, Washington, 98371. Saturday Fair hours: 9 am -7 pm; Sunday Fair hours: 10 am -6 pm. Contact Wayne Burleson at rutbuster@montana.net