Garden Education Program Newsletter September 2018

DONATE NOW

Greetings from the Gardens!

Greetings! While the weather is changing, we still have many exciting ways to participate in the gardens this fall. Take a look at what's new in this newsletter and we hope you can join us to wrap up the season! We're also making plans for next year's garden projects, including recruiting a new group of Garden Ambassadors to adapt our Seed to Supper Curriculum to meet the needs of immigrant and refugee communities in the metro area. OFB recently produced a video story with Yonas, one of our current Garden Ambassadors. Click here to watch the video and learn more about what Yonas has facilitated this summer with Portland's Ethiopian and Eritrean refugee and immigrant communities.

Saludos, Lisa Waugh , Learning Gardens Program Coordinator   Devin Dinihanian , Statewide Garden Education Coordinator Christine Hadekel , Statewide Education and Outreach Manager

Garden Volunteer Opportunities Learn about gardening, meet new people, and take home fresh harvest. All ages welcome. No gardening experience necessary!

Dig In! at the Eastside Learning Garden  New and experienced gardeners welcome! Thursday & Saturday shifts are 9am-12pm through October. Want to learn about harvesting & cleaning mason bee cocoons? Plan to join us on Thursday, October 11th! We need lots of help to wrap up the garden season!  Sign Up

Grow food together at the Unity Farm Join Mudbone every Wednesday and the second Saturday of the month from 9:30am-12:30pm. Shifts will run through 10/17. Come out and help out on the farm as we cultivate community and the soil. We are your community farmers! Sign Up

Dig In! at the Westside Learning Garden  The Westside garden volunteer season is wrapping up at the end of September to welcome back Rachel Carson Environmental Middle School students! You are welcome to join us through September:  Wednesdays 9:00-12:00 Saturdays 9:00-11:00 Sign Up

Joint work party with Columbia Slough Watershed Council Saturday October 20th from 9am-1pm

‌ ‌

Join Oregon Food Bank, Mudbone Grown, and the Oregon Inter-Tribal Breastfeeding Coalition for a morning of joint service work with the Columbia Slough Watershed Council . Volunteers will get a chance to work alongside each organization and gain new skills while supporting each organization's mission. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Sign Up

Join us for Family Day in the Garden! Saturday September 22nd from 10am-12pm

In partnership with the Multnomah County Women Infants and Children (WIC) program, Oregon Inter-Tribal Breastfeeding Coalition, and Mudbone Grown, we are hosting a Family Day in the Garden . No need to sign up in advance - just show up at the Eastside Learning Garden between 10am-12pm on Saturday September 22nd .  Get a tour of the gardens and farm Try new foods Learn new gardening skills Take home a share of the harvest Receive a WIC nutrition credit for participating!

Volunteer Opportunity with Growing Gardens

Our friends at Growing Gardens are looking for Garden Build Volunteers this fall: Come be part of the community effort to turn grass into gardens so that families can grow food at home! We will provide the tools and instruction, just bring yourself, shoes and clothes that can get a little dirty and a packed lunch!   Sign up  through  this link  or by emailing  [email protected] Available dates: Saturday October 13th 10am to 3pm Saturday October 20th 10am to 3pm Saturday November 3rd 10am to 3pm

Volunteers of the Month & Milestones

Volunteers of the Month Congrats to Marisol and Deven Hsu, our latest Volunteers of the Month! Marisol and Deven are regular volunteers at the Westside Learning Garden.  Read more about Marisol and Deven here.

1000 Hour Milestone Congratulations to Amy Steve, who just reached the milestone of 1,000 volunteer hours of service! Amy is a Team Leader in Saturday PRR shifts as well as Westside Learning Garden Dig In! shifts. Amy's achievement demonstrates tremendous commitment as she also works full time! Thank you Amy for dedicating your time and energy to fighting hunger and its root causes. We appreciate you!

2000 Hour Milestone Nora Hanna just reached the amazing milestone of 2,000 volunteer hours! Nora volunteers weekly with Fresh Alliance and VAC shifts in addition to the Eastside Learning Garden. Nora is one of our our most dedicated weeders; she will not rest until every blade of quack grass and bindweed is extricated from our beautiful garden! You can read more about Nora in her 2016 Volunteer of the Month write-up .

Jobs and Professional Development

Job Opportunities: Oregon Food Bank is hiring a Nutrition Education Evaluation Coordinator, and several positions for drivers. Rogue Farm Corps is hiring a Central Oregon Chapter Coordinator.

Volunteer / Professional Development: Growing Gardens has volunteer activities listed by season, as well as some internship opportunities. Zenger Farm has a number of volunteer and internship positions open. Kitchen Commons has some ongoing volunteer and internship opportunities. Village Gardens has some volunteer opportunities including Food Works Farm and Fruits of Diversity Orchard.

Gardening Classes and Resources in the Community

Below is a variety of community resources and classes. If you would like to take OFB's Seed to Supper 6-week class series, find classes or join the wait list on our Gardening Classes page.

OSU Extension Master Gardeners Great resource. Chapter meetings open to public with monthly speakers.  Portland Nursery Generous donor to our Garden Education program! Free classes at both locations. Livingscape Nursery Many free classes available. Farmington Gardens Planting tips and free classes. Portland Parks & Rec Great page with gardening resources.

Grow Portland Education, supplies, land access, and local food for urban gardening opportunities.  Outgrowing Hunger Creates neighborhood gardens for you and your neighbors in need. Growing Gardens Learn and Grow Workshop Series offers a variety of educational resources. Portland Fruit Tree Project Offers tree care workshops to learn more about keeping fruit trees healthy.