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.   

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.

Our newest cohort of FoodCorps members have jumped right into service and have already been making their mark at the Conservancy. These 5 FoodCorps members will be working with students with hands-on learning in the garden and classroom. They will work with many Newark schools this upcoming school year including Harriet Tubman, Thirteenth Avenue, Avon Avenue, Hawthorne Avenue, Lincoln, Mt. Vernon and McKinley School!

Greater Newark Conservancy works with FoodCorps to facilitate school gardens and food education throughout Newark schools. In school gardens, kids participate in seed to plate cultivation and in classrooms and school cafeterias kids contribute to creating recipes and tasting the bounty of the earth.  In the garden and classroom kids are engaged in hands-on science, tackling real world problems. During classroom opportunities students get first-hand experience with whole foods, putting flavor and sizzle into nutrition education.   

The Conservancy’s FoodCorps members support the work of the Coalition for Healthy Food in Newark Schools to sustainably transform Newark’s school food system ensuring that every student in Newark has access to nourishing, culturally relevant, delicious food in school and connected nutrition education. 

Learn more about FoodCorps here! 

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!

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, September 14th @ 10:30-12pm

Get ready to unleash your creativity as you join us at Greater Newark Conservancy for a special edition of building and fun – Cardboard City!  No previous building experience is necessary! Just bring your creativity and enthusiasm. This is a fantastic way to engage with your family in an educational and playful environment.  

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

Tree Keepers Workshop

In-Person

Saturday, September 14th @ 9:00-12:00pm 

Learn all about trees! Combining classroom and hands-on outdoor education, this free three-hour course covers tree biology, tree identification, tree planting, tree maintenance, and more. Attendees are provided educational materials and tree care tools to take their learning home with them. 

TO REGISTER, EMAIL ELENA AT EMESSINA@NJTREEFOUNDATION.ORG

KidsGardening Presents: Cooking with Students in the School Garden

Virtual

Thursday, September 19th @ 7:00pm

Join us for a webinar exploring the exciting world of nutrition right from your school garden! Focus areas will include Student Engagement, Garden and Program Design, Outdoor Cooking Skills, Understanding Young Palates, and Deconstructing Food Shaming.

REGISTER HERE

Emerson Collective Presents: Climate Science Fair

In-Person

September 21st- September 23rd @ 10:00am-7:00pm

Welcome scientists, farmers, foodies, artists, thinkers, nature lovers, and the curious of all ages to the Emerson Collective’s 2024 Climate Science Fair. They are coming together to show that big, bold, optimistic climate ideas are not just possible, but already making a difference.                                                                                          Bring your sense of wonder to the High Line for a fair that promises to inform and inspire all of us to discover our inner citizen* scientist.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

American Community Gardening Association Conference

In-Person

September 25th - September 28th

Join the largest North American gathering of community gardening and urban farming enthusiasts! This year's theme, "Growing Greener Generations: Community Gardening for a Sustainable Future," will guide this exciting program in Wellesley, Boston, and surrounding areas.

Our Program Manager of the Youth & Family Education Department will be presenting an "Accessible Gardening for All" workshop where he will dive into making sure your garden spaces are accessible for everyone to enjoy. 

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Promise of Urban Agriculture Courses

Agricultural Marketing Service in partnership with Cornell Small Farms Program and Rooted have launched the Promise of Urban Agriculture courses for growers and planners. These courses provided critical information for building and supporting successful commercial farms. Registration is free until Jan. 24, 2025, after which participants will be charged a nominal fee.                                                                                                              The 4 courses, now available on the Cornell Small Farms Program website, educate participants through unique video content and materials about topics including, Accessing Urban Land for Farming, Urban Farm Planning and Management, and Sources of Urban Farm Income. 

Upon completion of these courses, participants will know the important factors involved in building viable urban farms, understand relevant policy and planning tools, be aware of economic opportunities and risks, and distinguish between effective nonprofit and for-profit business structures.

School gardens have been around for decades, serving as a place for students to learn, grow, and play in a natural environment outside the traditional school walls. They are places where children can roam free, connecting to the earth, one little seedling at a time. Listen to the many students impacted by the school garden programming facilitated by Greater Newark Conservancy!

This month's Jersey Fresh Harvest of the Month in August is Tomatoes! New Jersey is famous for its tomatoes because of their flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. Tomatoes are in season in New Jersey during the summer months, from June through September. Learn more about tomatoes here!

The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project partnered with chefs and teachers to identify key components of bringing a successful cooking class to students. This resource is filled with tons of helpful information for both educators and chefs. Check out this resource here!

What did the gardener say to her favorite plants?

I love you from my head tomatoes!

Source: Wisconsin School Garden Network

Interested in bringing your students to the Outdoor Learning Center at Greater Newark Conservancy to experience the joy of nature-based education? Fill out this Field Trip Interest Form! We offer a variety of field trip programs that will spark the interest of any youth. Whether they are learning about urban habitats, diving into the world of bugs and insects, or seeing how worms can break down our food into a valuable soil amendment, your students will leave our site with a host of knowledge! For more information reach out to soleary@citybloom.org.

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.