Welcome everyone to our monthly E-Newsletter, supporting a network of school garden advocates! We will keep you updated on the latest news and work being done across school gardens programs here in Newark, New Jersey, and the best resources from across the country.   

Scroll down to reach our section on Grant Opportunities to see current opportunities for your school garden programs. The Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant and Sustainable Jersey for Schools Grants we suggest applying for as those deadlines end in early-March.

Looking for a specific resource? Interested in having your own resources published? Reach out to us to discuss more at pevans@citybloom.org and we will be more than happy to help.

Join the NJ Department of Agriculture for a day of experiential learning! Attendees will participate in a mini-Farm to School Academy. During your time together, there team will provide actionable steps and effective resources for teachers, school administrators, food service members, and other key school partners. Hands-on activities and small group collaboration will emphasize the incorporation of their Farm to School Academy resources in all focal areas of Farm to School. Discussions and program planning will introduce climate-conscious recipe building, taste tests, school gardening, food and nutrition curriculum building, effective program marketing and communication, local partnerships, and more.  

When: 03/26/2025 
Where: Greater Conservancy of Newark, 32 Prince St., Newark, NJ 07103  
Time: 8 am – 2:30 pm 
PD Hours: 6 hours 
Cost: Free of Charge 

*The workshop is funded through the USDA Farm to School Formula Grant. Schools that participate in the USDA Food and Nutrition programs are eligible for grant funding to support programming. 

REGISTER HERE

These Family Programs are great to enjoy with your little ones, but you can join in on your own for an informal professional development session. They are an opportunity to see ways our environmental educators encourage kids to develop wonder, make observations, construct understanding, and engage in science conversations.  You can also learn some cool crafts, healthy recipes, and ways to incorporate more hands-on, engaged learning.

Second Saturday Family Adventures

In-Person

Saturday, February 8th @ 10:30-12pm

Join us for a thrilling exploration into the science of Balance and Gravity! This Leap into Science program from the Franklin Institute is perfect for families as it offers hands-on activities and engaging children’s books to help everyone think like scientists and understand these fundamental forces.

Get ready to tackle fun challenges and learn through interactive play. This adventure is not just educational; it's a fantastic way to bond and have fun as a family!

This program is free, but registration is required! If we hit capacity, please reach out to pevans@citybloom.org to be placed on the waitlist!

REGISTER HERE

Nuts & Bolts & Seeds & Soil

In-Person

Wednesday, February 26th @ 4-5:30pm

This workshop will focus on the mechanics of growing plants within a school garden and will help you plan and grow a productive, organic, bountiful garden during the school year. Attendees will be able to take home free seeds and seed starting supplies!

REGISTER HERE

Newark's Green Future: STEM Solutions for Climate Resilience

Location: 375 McCarter Hwy, 3rd Floor, Newark NJ 07102

Wednesday, February 19th @ 8:30-3:30pm (Elementary Educators)

Thursday, February 20th @ 8:30-3:30pm (High School Educators)

Register for a professional development workshop empowering educators to address Newark's climate challenges with hands-on STEM activities and actionable strategies for the classroom. 

REGISTER HERE

Nurturing Diversity in School Gardens

Online

Wednesday, February 19th @ 2-3pm

Join the SGSO Network where they will explore the transformative power of inclusivity and representation in educational gardening programs. This session will dive into the importance of intentional representation, uncovering and addressing unexamined practices and celebrating the rich tapestry of cultural backgrounds within your school communities. Learn practical strategies to create a welcoming and inclusive garden space that honors and reflects the diverse identities of your students. From implementing multilingual labels and hosting cultural sharing sessions to planting global gardens with crops from around the world, they'll provide you with actionable steps to foster an environment where every child feels seen, valued, and empowered.

REGISTER HERE

Celebrating Cultural Inclusion in the Garden

KidsGardening is happy to announce our newest e-course "Celebrating Cultural Inclusion in the School Garden!" This free e-course supports educators as they learn how to center cultural learning in their school garden program with a new curriculum of lesson plans, growing guides, and more. Its creation was supported in part by the USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program.

This is a self-paced with unlimited access to the course materials.

REGISTER HERE

This month's Jersey Fresh Harvest of the Month is Sweet Potatoes! Sweet Potatoes are in season in New
Jersey during late summer into the winter, from late July through December. Once harvested, you can cure sweet potatoes and they will last 4-6 months on average. Learn more about Sweet Potatoes here!

The Healthy Foods in Newark Schools Coalition held successful Fall Overhaul events at Malcolm X Shabazz High School and 13th Ave Elementary! With the energy and enthusiasm from both students and staff, the event truly became a memorable experience for everyone involved. The beautifully redecorated cafeterias were a big hit, creating a more inviting and vibrant dining space that students thoroughly enjoyed. It was rewarding to see everyone engage so positively with the wellness activities Wellness in the Schools offered—this aspect really seemed to resonate with the school communities.

School meals are an essential resource in feeding 30 million children every day. Making school meals free for all students ensures that every kid is nourished and ready to learn, regardless of their family’s income.

FoodCorps and our coalition partners are advocating for the continuation of school meals for all. With the end of pandemic-era waivers, districts in many states have needed to return to charging families for school meals. But no child should go hungry because of financial or bureaucratic burdens. Lawmakers must do more to make school meals for all permanent.

Learn more about school meals for all below and take action by urging your senators to prioritize children’s well-being.

Interested in filling out postcards? Stop by Greater Newark Conservancy at 32 Prince Street, Newark NJ to pick-up or drop-off your School Meals for All postcard. We have postcards in English and Spanish. 

Last year, Greater Newark Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, and the Coalition for Healthy Food in Newark Schools collaborated to host the inaugural 'Newark Grows School Gardens Tour' which showcased 10 successful school garden programs around Newark. We are beginning to plan for this year's tour with some great improvements. Interested in joining the committee towards putting this event together? Reach out to pevans@citybloom.org or soleary@citybloom.org for more information!

What did the sweet potato say to the pumpkin?

"I yam what I yam"

Source: Wisconsin School Garden Network

Register your school garden to be a part of our Newark School Garden Support Network and see where other school gardens are located near you!

The work that we do would not be possible without the generosity of our donors. While we had to put some of our on-site programs temporarily on hold during the COVID-19 crisis, we are back to normal operations and ramping up a number of programs and activities at our Outdoor Learning Center, the Hawthorne Avenue Urban Farm, school partner gardens, as well as various virtual workshops.