Issue # 12 | June 2012

in this issue
~ Branstrator Farm Fundraiser - pg. 1 ~ Summer Camp - pg. 1 ~ Volunteer Spotlight - pg. 2 ~ ~ Vote for GFGH - pg. 2 ~ Great Ohio Bike Adventure - pg. 2 ~ Baby Food Workshop - pg. 3 ~ Summer Recipe - pg. 3 ~ Krisher Family to Host Open Garden & Lily Sale - pg. 4 ~ ~ The Harvest Calendar - pg. 5 ~

GFGH Fundraiser at the Snappin Asparagus and Strawberry Jam

Mark your calendars! Grow Food, Grow Hope will be on hand at the Second Annual Branstrator Farm Snappin Asparagus and Strawberry Jam this month, where weve been invited to set up a booth to hold a fundraiser. We will be selling handmade bamboo wind chimes, wooden yard signs, and stone garden markers for $5 each. All of the items that will be on sale were handmade by AmeriCorps VISTAs and Summer Associates and the bamboo used in the wind chimes was harvested locally from the Lytle Creek Greenway. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go to our community garden. If the allure of handmade lawn ornaments isnt enough to draw you in, perhaps we can recommend the fresh strawberries and asparagus, each of which are amazing! If you havent tried a Branstrator strawberry, you havent truly experienced strawberries. A few of us from the GFGH office made a trip out to Jon Branstrators farm last

Sign-up Now for Summer Camp

Grow Food, Grow Hope summer day camps are back! Seed Seed Sprout is for children ages 5 to 8. It starts on June 18th and focuses on gardening, nutrition, and trying new foods. There will be games, crafts, teambuilding exercises, songs, and lots of time spent outside. Our goal is to teach young campers how to create healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Next month we will host Junior Master Gardener day camp from July 24th 27th for ages 9 to 12. Both of our camps are free to attend, though we are happy to accept donations which will help pay for craft supplies, snack ingredients, and educational materials. Seed Seed Sprout day camp will be held on the Wilmington College campus from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., June 18th 20th. Americorps VISTAs and Summer Associates will lead and facilitate the activities. Registration is required for all participants and can be completed online at www.growfoodgrowhope.com. Space is limited to 50 participants at each camp so dont wait! For more information about either of our camps, please see our website or call Michelle Kerschner or Amy Volz, AmeriCoprs VISTAs at GFGH at (937) 382-6661 ext. 596.

month to pick up some strawberry plants for our community gardens, which Jon had been kind enough to donate, and when we left, he sent us home with two baskets of the ripest and sweetest strawberries any of us had ever tried. We plan on picking up a few more baskets while were at the festival. This free festival will be held on June 9th from noon to 6 P.M. at Branstrator Farm, 885 N. George Rd., Clarksville, Ohio. There will be live music, games, and plenty of strawberries and asparagus. Parking is $1. For more information on the event, go to

www.branstratorfarm.com

Grow Food, Grow Hope Garden Initiative | Wilmington College | 1870 Quaker Way | Pyle Box 1145 | Wilmington, OH 45177

Grow Food, Grow Hope Newsletter

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Community Gardener Spotlight by Dom Parks

Sometimes it is difficult for Grow Food, Grow Hope to measure how much of an impact we are having on the community, but every once in a while, we sit down and speak with a community member who can give us a first-hand account of what our program means to them. Marion Kimes, for example, moved to the Wilmington area five years ago and began volunteering at Sugartree Ministries, the local food pantry and community outreach organization that serves Wilmington. It was through our collaborations with Sugartree that we first met Marion and his daughter Trinity. This spring, Marion signed up to be a participant at the Northland Court Community Gardens. From day one, he has been a fixture of this garden site, coming to help prepare the garden beds, watering, weeding, and even tending to his neighbors plots when they are in need. Marion has grown flowers in the past, but hasnt had much experience in growing produce, so he really liked the idea of giving Trinity a chance to learn at a young age how to grow her own food and felt it would be a nice way for them to spend quality time together. Teaching families how to grow fresh food and how to eat healthy is a major focus at GFGH, and our medium toward eliminating poverty. We are pleased to welcome Marion and Trinity into the fold and we look forward to helping them grow a garden of their own this year.

We Need Your Vote!

We are currently in the running for a grant from DeLoach Vineyards and Organic Gardening Magazine. Fifteen other community gardens from around the country (as well as one from Canada) are up for a $4,000 prize but only five of us will win.

to

Voting is going on right now. You can help us stay in the running by going to

www.DeLoachCommunityGardens.com
and voting for our project. You can vote once a day, every day until August 6th. As always, your support is greatly appreciated. Our gardens wouldnt even be here without all of you. If we are fortunate enough to receive these much needed funds, we promise to put them to use making the gardens and our community better.

The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure Tours Wilmington

On Saturday, June 16th, three thousand bicyclists will depart from Hillsboro on a week-long journey through the scenic countryside of Ohio. Riders will stay overnight in host towns, or GOBAvilles, along the route, including Wilmington. Each GOBAville will showcase its local businesses, attractions, and organizations, and non-profits such as Grow Food, Grow Hope will provide reasonably-priced meals and snacks. The route averages 50 miles per day, with optional day-trip loops, and riders will have the opportunity to experience several sites at each stop. GOBA emphasizes that the event is a tour and not a race; organizers hope to encourage personal development, indeGOBA riders will arrive in Wilmington on Friday, June 22nd, and tour the Luther Warren Peace Path, the Quaker Heritage Center at Wilmington College, downtown Wilmington, and a local lavender farm. There will also be a song contest on Friday night, and Clinton County Fairgrounds will provide campsites. Riders will depart on Saturday to finish the adventure back in Hillsboro. Though its too late to register for the adventure, GOBAvilles are open to the public. Be sure to check out all of the activities and support Grow Food, Grow Hope by checking out our booth in the St. Columbkille parking lot well have lots of delicious food for all to enjoy!

pendence, and, of course, bicycling. The event is an opportunity to learn about Ohio, its people, geography, and history for all ages and backgrounds. Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience or cycling ability. Twenty percent of riders are under 18, and about one hundred are over the age of 70!

Grow Food, Grow Hope Garden Initiative | Wilmington College | 1870 Quaker Way | Pyle Box 1145 | Wilmington, OH 45177

Grow Food, Grow Hope Newsletter

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Homemade Baby Food Workshop

Upcoming Events
~June 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th ~ Garden Morning at The Friends of Hope Community Gardens on the Wilmington
College Campus at 10 A.M.

~June 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th ~ Garden Night at The Friends of Hope Community Gardens on the Wilmington
College Campus at 7 P.M.

GFGH is collaborating with Sugartree Ministries to offer a free baby food making workshop on June 16th. GFGH VISTAs will lead the event, demonstrate the process, and offer samples of the food. There will also be a giveaway starter kit of vegetables to help participants begin making their own baby food at home.

pure, then store in the fridge. Making your own is also much cheaper than store-bought baby food. In addition, you have complete control over the ingredients, avoiding pesticides, preservatives, corn syrup, or other potentially harmful ingredients.

Garden Night at Mulberry Street Gardens at 6:30 PM. Garden Night at the Northland Court Community Gardens at 6:30 PM. June 9th ~ Branstrator Farm: Snappin Asparagus and Strawberry Jam Noon
to 6 P.M. at Branstrator Farm in Clarksville. GFGH will be selling handmade items to raise funds for our community garden.

The workshop will be held in the kitchen of Sugartree Ministries on Amy Volz, one of the workshop June 16th at 2:00 P.M., and it is free facilitators, says that the process is for participants to attend. much easier than most people asIf you have questions about this sume; all you need are vegetables or fruit, a pan, and an appliance that can workshop, please contact Amy Volz pure. Cook the produce in the pan, at 937-382-6661 ext. 596

June 16th ~ Baby Food Workshop at Sugartree Ministries Free workshop. Starts
at 2 P.M.

Summer Recipe: Baked Crispy Kale

Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients
4 handfuls of kale, torn into bitesized pieces with the tough stems removed 1-2 tablespoons olive oil sea salt or kosher salt

June 18th - 20th ~ Seed, Seed, Sprout Summer Day Camp A free camp open to children ages 5 to 8 years. Camp will start each day at 10 A.M. and go until 3 P.M. Registration is required. June 22nd~ The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure (GOBA) GFGH will we selling food to bicyclists as they come through Wilmington. Well be there around dinner time if youd like to come see us. June 23rd & 24th ~ Lily Sale Fundraiser to Benefit the Fred Krisher Endowment
Several varieties of Lilies will be available for purchase. The sale runs from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. on Saturday and from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. on Sunday

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rinse the leaves and dry them thoroughly. Use a towel to blot any extra water on the leaves. Place the kale on the baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the kale leaves and use your hands to toss and coat

the leaves. Bake in the oven for 12-20 minutes until leaves are crisp. Once they are paper-thin crackly, the kale is done. If the leaves are still a bit soft, leave them in for another 2 minutes. Do not let the leaves turn brown (they'll be burnt and bitter) Remove from oven, sprinkle with salt and serve.

Grow Food, Grow Hope Newsletter

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Lily Sale to Benefit the Krisher Endowment Fund

Fred Krisher was a beloved member of the Wilmington College family, a Master Gardener, and a friend to Grow Food, Grow Hope. When he passed away earlier this year, his loss was felt by an entire community. In the spring, an endowment fund was established by Wilmington College in Freds name, the proceeds from which will go to Grow Food, Grow Hope. This endowment will help fund our community gardens, educational initiatives, workshops, and community outreach into the future. In an effort to raise money towards this endowment, Freds widow, Mary Ellen, is inviting people to come to her Open Garden & Day Lily Sale later this month.

Fred and I enjoyed working in the garden together, says Mary Ellen. I
think that Fred's enjoyment from gardening came from the summers he spent as a child at his grandparents farm where he helped them in their garden His favorite plants were hosta and day lilies. I liked planting perennial flowers in color coordinating groups to make pretty pictures. Fred was a member of the Cincinnati Day Lily & Hosta Society. He was passionate about gardening and as a mentor at the Friends of Hope Community Garden, he was able to share his passions with others. Fred helped these families learn about planting, cultivating, and harvesting a small plot vegetable garden, as well as promote the role of fresh, nutritious foods in a healthy diet. The Open Garden & Day Lily Sale will take place on June 23rd and 24th at the home of Mary Ellen Krisher. Over 100 varieties of lilies will be sold for $5.00 a clump. Light refreshments will be available and all are welcome to tour the gardens that Fred left behind in his passing. Our goal is to get $10,000 into the memorial fund by the end of summer. This event is a joint effort of Mary Ellen Krisher, Grow Food, Grow Hope, & Wilmington College.

Mary Ellen and Fred Krisher

Endowment Fund
In 2012, we lost a cherished member of our community garden family. Fred Krisher, a Wilmington College alumnus and trustee, had been with our program since the beginning, sharing his knowledge and love of gardening with our participants as a mentor. It was evident that Fred not only enjoyed sharing his significant knowledge of gardening but also his love for the land and the personal satisfaction one receives when learning by doing. He imparted his passion for gardening and his community to those around him with an enthusiasm that was unrelenting. Always eager to contribute to the community garden, we are incredibly grateful he chose to spend his time with us. In memory of Fred, an endowment has been established, which will create enduring operational support for our program. For information on how you can make a contribution, please contact our Project Manager, Meghan Otto at (937) 382-6661 extension 321, or send an email to us at growfoodgrowhope@wilmington.edu

Grow Food, Grow Hope

The Fred Krisher

Open Garden & Lily Sale

664 Hadley Rd, Clarksville, OH
Saturday, June 23rd from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. & Sunday, June 24th from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Grow Food, Grow Hope Garden Initiative | Wilmington College | 1870 Quaker Way | Pyle Box 1145 | Wilmington, OH 45177

Grow Food, Grow Hope Newsletter

P age 5

The Harvest Calendar

Summer is here! Your garden should be coming along nicely with all this beautiful sunshine weve been having. If youve been following the monthly Harvest Calendar, you may have already sampled some of your leafy greens or a radish or two. Vegetables love this kind of weather but so do weeds. Be sure to weed around your plants to ensure that they arent competing for vital nutrients. Fertilize regularly with compost if youve got it. If not, pick up some fish emulsion or bat guano at your local nursery or hardware store and apply it weekly to give your plants a boost. Or, turn old egg shells and coffee grounds into the soil surrounding your plants. Eggs will provide calcium - which will help prevent blossom end rot on your tomatoes. Coffee grounds will provide nitrogen, and also deter slugs. ease. Some of the things to look for are bugs, such as squash vine borers, caterpillars, beetles, tomato horn worms, aphids, and slugs; and disease, like blight, mold and mildew. If you run into trouble, dont hesitate to drop us a line. Were happy to help - even if its just answering questions and dispelling fears over the phone. You could also stop in During the month of June, the to one of our Tuesday night gardening weather can become hot and dry, so remember to water your garden regular- sessions at the Friends of Hope Comly during times of limited rainfall. Also, munity Garden, weekly at 7:00 P.M. examine your garden for pests and dis~ Happy Gardening! ~

June
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1 Sow Cilantro

Friday
2

Saturday

4 Sow beans, carrots, and chard in vacant areas of the garden

7 Transplant Brussels sprout seedlings into garden

9 Water strawberries if weather is dry

10 Sow more leafy greens outside 17

11

12 Turn your compost to aerate the mixture.

13

14 Harvest green beans & central head of cabbage

15

16 Water strawberries if weather is dry

18

19 Harvest herbs for drying, peppers, & small carrots

20

21 Plant more carrot seeds directly into the garden

22

23 Water strawberries if weather is dry

24 Twist heads of cabbage to prevent splitting

25 Sow spinach for late harvest

26 Turn your compost to aerate the mixture.

27

28 Harvest continuously producing crops

29

30 Water strawberries if weather is dry

Grow Food, Grow Hope Garden Initiative 1145 Pyle Center 1870 Quaker Way Wilmington, OH 45177

Phone: 937-382-6661 ext. 321 | E-mail: growfoodgrowhope@wilmington.edu | Web: www.growfoodgrowhope.com

The Grow Food, Grow Hope Garden Initiative is a community food project dedicated to increasing access to fresh and nutritious food for the neediest members of our community. By increasing food security, we aim to eliminate the effects of poverty. To that end, we facilitate a community garden for low-income families, we grow bulk vegetables for area food banks, we organize and fund backyard garden installations around our community, we teach children how to garden and we promote local farmers markets and local businesses. By growing a little food, we can sow a lot of hope.

Come grow with us.