GreatNonProfits 2009 Green Choice Winner!

GreatNonProfits 2009 Green Choice Winner!
Green Choice Winner 2009

Monday, September 29, 2008

BEET Rangers at Breaking Ground Conference!



The BEET Rangers were honored to be invited to participate in the Green Jobs Now national day of action at the Breaking Ground Conference for youth
hosted by San Francisco Parks Trust. We were invited to participate in two different workshops: a Green Jobs panel, and a workshop on container gardening. Two of the BEET
Rangers, Jessica Farkas and Tanea Lunsford, stepped up to fill both of these roles. In the morning, they held a workshop on container gardening, talking about why it is important to grow your own food. They explained all the elements necessary to have a healthy container garden, then helped people set up and plant their own container gardens to take hope.

In the afternoon, Jessica and Tanea talked on a panel of youth about Green Jobs and why they are important. All of the participants on the panel shared really important views on how Green Jobs improve their communities, help them feel self-sufficient and productive, and provide a way for them to connect to their environment and green space
in the city. We are proud to be part of the Green Job movement, connecting youth with opportunities to match environmental stewardship with economic justice. And I was so proud to hear what Jessica and Tanea had to say! They spoke up, and added a lot of enthusiasm and expertise to the discussion.

Naz got to learn about natural building, and made a brick out of cob material. She also visited the bees and worked in the garden at Potrero del Sol, across the street from where the conference was held.

Dyhemia, Candy, and Rashida learned about propagating plants from cuttings, and prepared some geraniums to take home. Sebron and Tanea went for a bike ride to different gardens all around the Mission, visiting green spaces in a green way!

Learn more about Green Jobs Now: http://greenjobsnow.com/

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER!

KOSHLAND GARDEN NEWSLETTER

A Project of the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Parks Group


September 2008 Newsletter Content:

1. Koshland Garden Makeover!

2. BEET Rangers at Slow Food Nation

3. Garden Workparty- September 13th

4. Vote for Koshland Garden as SF's most beautiful garden!

5. See Us On The News!

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1. Koshland Garden Makeover!

Wow! Things have really changed fast in the garden, and it is looking great! After our black acacia tree was accidentally cut down during it's scheduled tree trimming, we have been hard at work imagining ways to take advantage of the new sunny spot left in its place. We had the area where the tree once stood cleared and leveled, and are planning to put a picnic table there, so that students from John Muir Elementary School can have a spot to eat the snacks we harvest during their classes in the garden. We also
hope community gardeners, visitors and neighbors will also enjoy the new picnic table, which will be installed in the near future! In the meantime, do come by to admire the new compost bins that are being constructed, and enjoy the last blooms of the sweetpeas.

To get on the waiting list for a garden plot, contact Community Garden Coordinator:

Nora Brereton (415) 424-5770, noraborealis@juno.com

2. BEET Rangers at Slow Food Nation


The BEET Rangers have had a really busy summer. To catch up from where we left off in our last newsletter, we have gone biking in Tennesse Valley with Trips for Kids, helped install the Victory Garden in front of City Hall, weeded and planted at Patricia's Green, farmed at both Green Gulch Farm and Alemany Farm, and helped out with compost at Garden for the Environment. Whew! This past weekend we went to a jam-making workshop through the youth programs at Slow Food Nation. Everyone got to take home their own marmalade made from local lemons, yum!

For more info, contact BEET Ranger Program Coordinator: Elokin

gardenkids@gmail.com (415) 958-6937

3. Garden Workparty- September 13th, 11am-2pm

Location: Koshland Park at the corner of Page and Buchanan

On Saturday, September 13th, from 11am-2pm, we will be working in Koshland Garden, preparing our summer beds for fall crop. We will be composting our old lettuce, chard, and kale plants, making way for new plant babies. Our goal is to get a whole bunch of garden beds ready for the John Muir Elementary School students, who will be returning to garden class in the next few weeks! Yay, we've missed them! We will provide tools, gloves, and snacks. We hope to see you there!

For more info, contact Community Garden Coordinator: Nora Brereton (415) 424-5770,
noraborealis@juno.com

4. Vote for Koshland Garden as SF's most Beautiful Garden!
We have entered Flowercraft's most beautiful garden contest! Please show your support for Koshland Garden and our programs by voting us as the most beautiful! All gardens are beautiful, but you gotta admit, we are pretty special! It's the hard work of all the volunteers, community gardeners, neighbors, and youth that make our garden shine. Vote below, we are #7!

Please vote either online or by casting a vote in our store. Our contestants will appreciate your vote as they are all proud of their gardens and they will win bragging rights and valuable gifts. Please link to this sight to view the entries and vote: lwww.flowercraftgc.com/events.html


5. See Us On The News!

The BEET Rangers were in the spotlight both in The City Star Newspaper on August 25th, and on NEN Network Television August 26th. Paste the following web address in your browser to watch BEET Ranger Dyhemia Young talk up the program on TV!

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15792000mKw2j9PF?rank=0&jsonParams=%7B%22numResults%22%3A20%2C%22rlmin%22%3A0%2C%22query%22%3A%22Beet+Rangers%22%2C%22rlmax%22%3Anull%2C%22veohOnly%22%3Atrue%2C%22order%22%3A%22default%22%2C%22range%22%3A%22a%22%2C%22sId%22%3A%221864910298250151936%22%7D&searchId=1864910298250151936&rank=1

We will also be featured in the upcoming SF Parks Trust Newsletter, and in The Green Screen (earthteam.net)