August 2013 Newsletter for SFGF Instructors

Official Publication of Square Foot Gardening Foundation

 Harvest of  News

In this Issue:

• Welcome to new Certified Instructors
• Clear Creek Farm: A model to make money with restaurant sales & tours
• 2013 SFG Garden Contest Announcement
• Quote of the Month
• Buy SFG Branded Coarse Vermiculite at Wholesale Prices!! Available NOW!!
• Heartwarming Story by CI, Maegan Schaefer
• Helping People to Help Themselves
• Farmers Market Database
• Get Inspired! Kay Walsh shares an innovative garden design: the Pond Bed
• Announcements & Upcoming Events
  

   

  WELCOME TO NEW CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS

  
                                                  Ray Davis, Milton, Florida
  
  
  
   
  Sally Fry of Fairmont, West Virginia
  
                                              Kay Walsh Elizabeth City, NC
  
  
                     Maegan Schaefer Great Falls MT (this is her son Nic with her SFG)
  
  
    
  This lovely set-up belongs to Kay Walsh, Elizabeth City, NC
   
•  
  Brenda Myers, Gulf Port, MS
  
                                           Shawn Tisdell of Stevensville MD
  

   

  FARM TOURS, ECO-TOURISM, AND SPECIALTY RESTAURANT SALES ALLOW FL COUPLE TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME AND LIVE THEIR DREAM

  Certified SFG Instructor, Ray Davis and his wife, Wanda, of Clear Creek Farm in Milton, Florida, have fine-tuned their self-sustaining, green lifestyle to produce supplemental income, with Square Foot Gardening playing a central role. There is a full story on the couple and their farm in the August general newsletter. They own an organic apple orchard, as well as growing non-GMO, heirloom strawberries, herbs, and an array of vegetables on 1.5 acres with 30 SFGs.
  In addition to growing their own organic food, making vegetable sales to the public, and teaching classes, the couple has expanded into farm tours and specialty restaurant sales. They also have some ingenious ideas to provide water and power for the operation of the farm. A lot can be gained from studying Ray and Wanda's business model.
  
  Here's what Ray said about the most recent farm tour: 
  
  "The 47^th Annual Santa Rosa County, Florida, farm tour of more than 200 participants took place on July 18^th of this year, and our farm was the first stop on the tour. I handed out about 150 flyers outlining the opportunities to come to the farm for hands-on learning demonstrations. The organizers said they received rave reviews of the place and many have contacted us to buy trees and come back for personal tours.  Most of our tours so far have been for school kids we are training in SFG techniques but we want to see whether we can create a revenue stream from eco farm touring on our solar-powered, net-zero electrical cost operation."
  
  Revenue streams:
    
  • Organic apples from the orchard
  • Nursery / tree and plant sales
  • Organic strawberries
  • Specialty non-GMO, heirloom vegetables and herbs sold to local restaurants (earns $8 - $10,000 annually)
  • Working on building up the farm tours and eco-tourism
  • Teaching classes / hands-on learning demonstrations for SFG and grafting trees
  • Sales to general public
  To expand on this model, here are some additional revenue streams that could be added:
  • Sales of homemade compost and "Mel's Mix" (email Belinda for more information)
  • Sales of "official" SFG beds and products such as SFG-brand vermiculite
  • Book sales (buy from SFGF in bulk at wholesale, and re-sell for profit)
  • Installation of beds for customers (Belinda has an excellent model for this with her business, Home Gardens to Go)
  • Taking a cue from Amie Guyette Hall, SFGF Certified Instructor and Certified Health Coach (From Your Inside Out), you could:
  • add a revenue stream centered on health, wellness, and nutrition for clients,
  • or open a health food restaurant
  • Homemade preserves, jellies, jams, and canned goods – Develop your own private label
  There are lots of ideas here for certified instructors who aim to make a living with SFG! Special thanks to Ray Davis for sharing his farm and innovative ideas with us.

  

  
  

  

  2013 SQUARE FOOT GARDEN
  
  PHOTO CONTEST
  
  (USA ONLY)
  
  There are now FOUR contests with $1400 Total in Prizes!
  
  Back by Popular Demand
  Plus a special new category for Certified SFG Instructors ONLY!!
  
  Build a SFG this summer and be a Winner! Deadline is August 31^st – you still have time to enter…
  
  CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Quote of the Month

  
  

  “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall leave the corners of your field for the poor.”
  (Leviticus 19:9-10)

  
  

  

  

  Buy SFGF-Brand Coarse Vermiculite Wholesale in Our Online Store

   If you hadn't noticed it for sale in the online store, Square Foot Gardening Foundation has developed its own brand of coarse vermiculite. Mel said that one of the most annoying problems people would tell him as he traveled around was they could not find coarse vermiculite locally at an affordable price. His heart was burdened because of this. He and Victoria Boudman put their heads together and solved this problem. They did some time-consuming research on vermiculite suppliers, and then personally traveled to the chosen plant to inspect their product. After much deliberation and negotiations, they hand-selected the very best that was available.
  
  
  As a certified instructor, you can now buy a pallet of coarse vermiculite at wholesale pricing, and then re-sell it to your customers. This is a major breakthrough for all of our CIs who have had trouble sourcing coarse vermiculite locally. 
  
  
  Watch your inbox for an announcement containing a wholesale price list and shipping fees, which will be sent out to all CIs.
  
  
  Hurray for Mel & Victoria for bringing branded, high-quality SFGF brand coarse vermiculite to the world! Now, there will be no more confusion about the size of vermiculite to use, or where to obtain it. You can tell your clients and customers that this brand is personally approved by Mel Bartholomew himself.
  
  
  We are selling 2 cu. ft bags of coarse grade vermiculite and shipping directly to you. Perhaps you don't want to order a whole pallet at wholesale pricing. If you want to purchase just one or a few bags, we are matching the current Home Depot™ price of $20.97 for their medium-grade vermiculite, but also upgrading the quality to the coarse grade!  Purchase your vermiculite with us today and we'll also give your a $5 credit to be used towards shipping. Just enter the code vermiculite.This is still a great deal!
  
  
  Click here to order SFG Brand Coarse Vermiculite from our online store. This is a limited time trial offer – order yours today and thank you for your patronage! Remember that all proceeds from our online store go to fund SFGF educational and humanitarian projects.

  CI's – remember to watch your email for a special wholesale price list, or email thestore@squarefootgardening.com for more information on large orders for CIs only.

  
  

  

  
  

  Heart warming Story Shared by New CI, Maegan  Schaefer
  
  

  Maegan Schaefer is involved with the first trial of a Community Garden in the Minuteman neighborhood on the Malmstrom Air Force base in Great Falls, MT. It is one of the smaller bases. The base does not allow boxes but she uses grids. She plants a SFG whenever she can amid the constant moves common in the military life. Her husband has served nine years in military, and both of their  fathers served 20+ years each.  He works in security forces and has deployed twice: one-year Afghanistan duty and six-months duty in Iraq.  They have two boys. The 6-yr-old  says he wants to be a gardener not a farmer!

  
  

  Their 2 1/2 yr old boy ate almost all the peas in Maegan's garden, and found the first green bean! He also loves parsley.  Little produce makes it from the garden to the house, and the boys always ask, "Mom did you bring the scissors to the garden?"

  
  

  

  

  HELPING PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES

  We've written many times about SFGF working with Harvest Hope Food Bank in Columbia, South Carolina. There, Victoria and staff have installed SFGs. The idea behind this is to teach food bank patrons how to grow food easily at home to sustain their families, and to provide "fresh, organic, and wholesome" vegetables for patrons as well. This is not a "paying" venture – it is a labor of love and charitable giving.
  
  
  NPR recently ran a story on Tucson Food Bank, which is doing a very similar type of operation, but on a larger scale. Read more about it here:
  http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/07/27/205240639/tucson-food-bank-helps-the-needy-grow-their-own-food

  
  

  

  
  

  FARMERS MARKETS DATABASE & NATIONAL FARMER'S MARKET WEEK

  On August 3, 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the number of markets registered in the 2013 National Farmers Market Directory.  This was the kick-off event for National Farmer’s Market Week (August 4-10, 2013). The first week of August, Columbia Heights Community Marketplace in Washington, DC, was the setting for a special celebration of farmers markets. According to USDA's press release, 
  
  
  "The Farmers Market Directory at farmersmarkets.usda.gov identifies new farmers markets, the states with the highest number of markets in operation, and the total number of farmers markets that have registered throughout the United States." USDA officials say that "USDA is focusing its support on sustainability and encouraging market development in underserved areas."  Read more at USDA.gov or check for markets near you at the links above.
  
  
  Selling Your Produce at Farmer's Markets
  
  
  As an organic grower, your produce grown in SFGs is in high demand right now. Farmer's Markets are a good outlet to:
  
  
  • Sell SFG produce and products 
  •  Network with other SFGers and the community
  • Give hands-on demonstrations of SFG
  • Make valuable contacts for CSA sales, customers/clients
  • Get publicity by handing out flyers or business cards
    
  
   GET INSPIRED

  A POND BED FOR SANDY SOILS
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  

  This innovation was developed by SFG forum moderator and new CI Kay Walsh.
  She calls it the Pond bed, and it's useful in very sandy soils.

  
  
  
  
  
  ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS
  
  Norma Burnson's book, Sustainable Food For the Globe: One Square Foot at a Time, is now available on Amazon.com.
  
  
  Every Monday, 10:20am PST, FTNS online radio, Get Fit with SFG, by Amie Guyette Hall
  
  
  August 24, 2013, 9am – 2pm, Cole County Extension Center, Missouri, Square Foot Gardening class, presented by University of Missouri Extension. Learn more
  
  
  August 24, 2013, 10am – 11am, The Plant Stand, Baker Street, Costa Mesa, California, SFG Workshop, Contact Mark Fierle at mfassoci@aol.com for more information (map)
  
  
  September 10, 11, 12, 2013, Heirloom Seed Festival, Santa Rosa, California. Learn more
  
  
  September 14, 2013, 1106 Almond Drive, Mansfield, Texas, "Fall 2013, Grow Your Own," by Julie Whitis and Karen McFarland, certified SFG instructors. Learn more
  
  
  October 26, 2013, 10am-1pm, Bamboo Room, Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, SFG Class, Jo Ann Carey, instructor, $25 Arboretum members/$30 non-members. Learn more
  
  
  October 27, 2013, 9:30am – 11:00am, Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand, "Square Foot Gardening with Ken Clark" workshop. Learn more
  
  
  November 9, 14, 20, 2013, University of Florida, Orange County Extension, Square Foot Gardening Basics, a 1 ½ hour class. Learn more
  
  
   

   

July newsletter for Certified Instructors

Official Publication of Square Foot Gardening Foundation

 Harvest of  News

In this Issue:

• Welcome to new Certified Instructors
• 2013 SFG Garden Contest Announcement
• My SFG Classes by Joyce Swanson
• Get Inspired: Featured Photo by Pat & Connie Lahr
• Quote of the Month by Thomas Jefferson
• Announcements & Upcoming Events
• Special appearance by Mel in Minnesota, July 15-16, 2013
• Victoria at The MoonWalk NYC July 20th, 2013
  

   

  WELCOME TO NEW CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS

  
  

  

  Just a reminder to all our new certified instructors, WELCOME, and we are glad you are with us! Please take some time to review older issues of this newsletter available on this blog. Archived issues of our general newsletter are also available if you'd like to read up on what the foundation has been doing over the past year.  If you haven't already done so, please sign up for the general newsletter. It will help you stay up-to-date about what is going on with the foundation. There is a sign-up box on the left side of the homepage of www.squarefootgardening.com. 
  
  
  David Silvia, a CI from Wilmington, NC, sent us a write-up about his volunteer work with LINC, a transitional facility. It is featured in the July issue. Santi Rogers, CI from Kansas City, Missouri, sent us a photo of his community garden project with SFGs made from salvaged junkyard lumber. It is featured in "Get Inspired" in the general newsletter. Thanks to David and Santi. We'd like to feature you too. Do you have an interesting community project you'd like to share? Thanks to Joyce Swanson  and Connie Lahr for guest posts this month. Send story ideas and write-ups to me (belinda@squarefootgardening.com) or to Sally, our communications writer (sally@squarefootgardening.com).
  
  
  I'd also like to point you to our official online forum. Not only can you help others and meet potential clients through this gardening forum, but you may also provide a helpful answer to someone. You might even get your own questions answered! 
  
  
  Square Foot Gardening Foundation also has a Facebook page, and a Facebook Group. We hope you will join us there as well. SFGF and Mel are both on Twitter too - please follow us & we'll follow back.
  
  
  Here are our websites: www.squarefootgardening.com (the online store plus links to other info), www.squarefootgardening.org (the official foundation website), http://www.sfgteachers.org/ (Instructor's website), and www.melbartholomew.com (Mel's blog).
  
  
  Please feel free to offer suggestions, take part, ask questions & contribute! We welcome and appreciate your input. 
  
  
  Happy Gardening,
  
  
  Belinda Jensen
  Instructor Specialist, Square Foot Gardening Foundation
  
  

  

  
  2013 Square Foot Garden Photo Contest
  Click here to enter NOW! 
  

  There are now FOUR contests with $1,400 total in prizes!

  Back again by popular demand.
  Plus…a special new category for Certified SFG Instructors ONLY!!
  Build a SFG this summer and be a Winner!

  
  

  In Your:

  • Front Yard
  • Back Yard
  • Side Yard
  • Patio/Deck

  
  

  At Your:

  • Home
  • School

  
  

  With Your:

  • Kids, Parents, Grandparents
  • Students

  I’ve also added a special one for Certified SFG Instructors only! I want to highlight your Square Foot Garden to the rest of the world. What better way than to start a contest so you can show off your garden and at the same time win prizes! As you can see above, your garden can be located just about anywhere under any category, and used by anyone. The chart below lists the four contests we have going with their details. All you need to do is pick one (and only one) and sumbit the form below the chart and you’re ready to grow!
  Here is a comment from last years contest that I think tells more than words what this means for families that garden together the Square Foot way.
  
  

  Stephanie, Texas -  "Dear Mel, My son and I entered your photo contest but did not win. You know the best part was actually putting together a few pictures and thinking about what a wonderful bonding time we’ve had this summer. A few moments in the sunshine of childhood is a very worthy investment. Even if we’ve only gotten a few cucumbers out of the deal. Thanks Mel for the inspiration and chance for reflection. Looking forward to our Fall and winter garden and an expansion next Spring!"

  Important Note: All prizes are gift certificates redeemable for any product (shipping/handling not included) at our online store.
  
  

  #	Category	Who/Where	Signup Before	Submit Entry Before	Winners Announced	1st Prize	2nd Prize	3rd Prize
  1	Front Yard	Anyone, front yard only	July 31st	Aug 31st	Sept. 31st	$200	$100	$50
  2	School	Teachers, school	July 31st	Aug 31st	Sept. 31st	$200	$100	$50
  3	Family	Kids, grandparents, etc, anywhere	July 31st	Aug 31st	Sept. 31st	$200	$100	$50
  4	Certified SFG Instructors	Certified SFG Instructors, anywhere	July 31st	Aug 31st	Sept. 31st	$200	$100	$50

  
  

  How to Choose a Contest

  First of all I want to thank you for signing up to one of our contests this year. I’m very excited that you are participating and I wish you the best of luck – hopefully you can win some big money! Before that happens though, you need to know exactly what the rules of our contests are.
  For all 4 contests, your Square Foot Garden (SFG) must comply with the ALL NEW SFG book. This means your (built or bought) box must be:
  
  

  • At least 6″ deep but no more than 10″ deep
  • Built from wood or vinyl
  • Use a wood or vinyl grid (no string please)
  • Use formula for Mel’s Mix
  • Follow the rest of the details like plant spacing, different crops in each sq. ft., etc

  We encourage you to keep notes and photos during the planning, building, planting, and harvesting stages. When you first sign up to enter ANY of the contests, we will e-mail you instructions on how to submit your pictures an final entry, a free copy of our SFG Tips, as well as my advice on how to become a contest winner.
  
  

  Front Yard Garden

  Create a SFG bed at least 32 square feet (one 4’ X 8’ or two 4’ X 4’ beds) or larger in your front yard. The garden must be visible from the road. Plant crops that will look good as all your neighbors will be very interested and may want to follow your lead. Keep notes of their comments for your entry report.
  
  

  School Garden

  This contest prize is for teachers of public, private or even home schools with at least 4 students. You can build and plant a garden or do any type of school science project that relates specifically to SFG. This contest is dedicated to Gail Bartholomew Osgood. For more information on Gail, please click here.
  
  

  Family Garden

  For any family shared type garden between kids, parents, even grandparents. Give each child their own 3×3 with adults a 4×4. Let each plan, plant and care for their own box. Share the prize with all that participate.
  
  

  Certified SFG Instructors

  This contest is for currently registered Certified SFG Instructors only who create a display and teaching garden of at least 64 square feet at their home, community or any other public area in their town. This contest is the only category open to a currently registered Certified SFG Instructor/Teacher.
  
  

  Steps to Enter

  All you need to do to enter one of these contests is:
  
  

  1. Pick the contest you would like to enter (only one allowed)
  2. Fill out and submit the online signup form below before July 31st, 2013
  3. You will get a confirmation e-mail telling you how to submit your pictures and final entry report for the judges as well as our Getting Started With SFG pamphlet and Mel’s advice and suggestions on how to become a contest winner
  4. Start building your garden (existing gardens qualify too!)
  5. Submit your final entry to us no later than August 31st, 2013
  
  
    Guest Post: By Joyce Swanson - "My Square Foot Garden Classes"

  Belinda asked me to write up some info about my experience as a Certified Square Foot Gardening instructor, to encourage others. Here goes:

  
  

  Last fall I became certified as an instructor for Square Foot Gardening. This year I taught about 40 people the method. I offered the classes on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in a 3-hour workshop. In this workshop, I used most of the slides from the 3-hour PowerPoint that came with the materials I bought several years earlier. I also showed a very short clip of Mel explaining the method to a group of people. 

  
  

  I introduce people to him that way. I have lots of my own raised beds, so I took people out to see those before class started.  I have beds made of bricks, composite wood, and plastic. That way they have a picture of what this is all about. I also show them my compost bins. Then we go inside to view the PowerPoint and get all the details about doing this kind of gardening. 

  
  

  My class includes lots of hands-on experience. We make a garden trellis out of electrical conduit. We practice putting the netting on with cable ties. I show them how a trellis can be made in about five minutes. We go into my garage and practice putting together 2 or 3 kinds of kits that they can buy in local stores. They see that this can be done in about 5 minutes. We practice laying down weed barrier and poultry wire on the bottom of the box. 

  
  

  We practice mixing together various kinds of compost, then making Mel’s Mix by combining the mixed-up compost with equal amounts of vermiculite and peat moss. We do the mixing in a bucket or a wheelbarrow.  When they leave, they know exactly how to put together a bed. They know they can easily repeat the process at home.

  
  

  I always tell people they can call me if they have questions when they get home. I get questions about how much vermiculite and peat moss they should buy, based on their size garden. They give me their dimensions and I tell them how I arrive at the amount needed for their beds. They especially have questions about how to find enough kinds of compost. That can be quite a challenge in our area. I emphasize to them the value of making their own compost for future planting.

  
  

  The best thing about this method of gardening is that people get excited about having their own gardens. Some come to me after giving up on regular gardening. Others come because they have heard that regular gardening is too much work, and are hoping this will be easier. It is so fun to watch their faces as they realize that gardening can be fun and pretty and easy. It gives them hope for healthier lives.

  
  

  Happy Gardening,

  
  

  Joyce Swanson

  Certified Square Foot Gardening Instructor

  Canton, SD

   

  

  QUOTE OF THE MONTH

  No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden. ~Thomas Jefferson

  

   GET INSPIRED! Guest Post by Connie Lahr

   

  

   
  

  Here are two pictures of a raised bed garden, 13 inches deep with
  the 8-inch base collecting compost tea, and already Pat has 10 gallons
  since May 14.  The base mix of 8 inches is amended garden soil from
  years past and the top 5-6 inches is the 2013 soil mix.
  I planted with seedlings and seeds on May 14 and took the second picture June 4,
  3 weeks later, and this week I see more growth.  The weather has been
  cool and rainy and we have even covered the garden when we thought the
  nights would be too cool.

  
  

  

  
  
  Our growing season is upon us and we are eating greens from the garden,
  one radish, and rhubarb to make a sweet treat!
  
  Thank you,  
  

  
  

  Connie Lahr

  
  

  

  
  

  (Pat & Connie Lahr, a husband and wife team, are both certified SFG instructors. Here they are pictured with a guest.)

  

  Announcements & Upcoming Events
  
  
  Reminder: Instructors, please send us your scheduled events. We'd like to advertise them for you in the general newsletter and this one, as well as in our online calendar. Quite often, we have to search the Internet for events by our instructors. I know you're busy, but it will help us to help you better!
  
  
  July 20 & October 19, 2013, 10 am – 1 pm, Arcadia, California, Square Foot Gardening Class at Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Instructor Jo Ann Carey - Details
  
  
  July 27, 2013, South Africa, Lynwood Ridge, Pretoria East, Square Foot Gardening Workshop, 11 am – 3 pm. Details
  
  
  July 28, 2013, Seaside Park, Bridgeport, Connecticut, "Gathering of the Vibes"  with Amie Guyette Hall, Square Foot Gardening Coach & FTNS Host of "The Green Gate. Details
  
  
  August 8, 2013, Bridgeport, Connecticut – Farm-to-Fork / Garden-to-Table Benefit Luncheon w/ Amie Guyette Hall, Square Foot Gardening Health Coach. Details
  
  
  September 20-22, 2013, Cincinnati, Ohio, proposed 3-day SFG Symposium to become certified as an SFG Instructor. Details are not yet finalized; however, if you have an interest in attending this symposium, email info@squarefootgardening.com for more information.
  
  
  
  GARDENING WORLD WIDE presents:
  A special appearance by Mel Bartholomew in Minnesota, July 15 - 16, 2013
  Founder, Originator, Promoter of SQUARE FOOT GARDENING.org
  
  7 pm Monday, July 15 at Monticello Middle School Garden,
  800 East Broadway, across from Hospital.
  Meet Mel, Learn SFG availability from Home Depot personnel.
  
  Also visit the beautiful gardens of Robbie and Karen Smith, Monticello, Minnesota
  7 pm Tuesday, July 16 at 4936 54th Street NW, Maple Lake, Minnesota
  At the Greenhouse, bring your chairs and friends!
  Meet Mel, Get his story, Get your questions answered!
  
  

  Get more details here: http://gardeningww.com/  

  

  On Saturday July 20 The MoonWalk New York City is coming to town! Thousands of strong, athletic, courageous women and men will Power Walk a marathon through the streets of New York City, in the middle of the night, wearing decorated bras, in support of breast cancer initiatives.
   
  This mega event, known around the world as The MoonWalk, is the signature fundraising platform of the globally recognized charity Walk the Walk.
   
  Since the first MoonWalk 15 years ago, over 300,000 people have participated in annual MoonWalks in London, Edinburgh and Iceland. Raising over $126mm for breast cancer causes.
  
  Learn more about how it all started!
  
  
  

  Victoria Boudman and representatives of GRO-WELL Brands® Inc. will be at The MoonWalk New York City on July 20, 2013.

  
  

  
  Victoria will be handing out 500 free copies of All New Square Foot Gardening, 2^nd Edition, along with discount coupons for Mel's Mix - all donated by GRO-WELL. Square Foot Gardening Soil is exclusively formulated by GRO-WELL.