Judy Mendel  05-23-2012
03:08 PM ET (US)
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What a beautiful day. Looking for something fun and physical to do? Volunteer Work Day for The Talking Farm today from 4 to 8 pm at the Howard Street Farm (3701 Howard St, Skokie) - moving wood chips, shaping berms, tree removal. Bring your shovels, wear closed-toe shoes and come see our site on a gorgeous early summer day! Contact Linda @ 847-651-1197 with any questions.
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Lynn Hyndman
05-22-2012
12:06 PM ET (US)
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Assistance for School Gardens
Could your school use the assistance of a few young people to work in your
school garden this summer? The City of Evanston as part of their Summer
Youth Job Training project would like to find opportunities for young people
to participate in garden maintenance or school garden projects. This would be under your
supervision which would require you being on site with the youth. Days and
hours are flexible but need to fall within the standard work week hours.
Questions can be directed to Jonathan Webb,. Manager – Community Health Division, City of Evanston, 847-448-8053
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Lynn Hyndman
05-21-2012
04:15 PM ET (US)
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Jordan Ryan, Coordinator of Food and Nutition Services, sent this link to a vegetable garden planner that Mother Earth News makes available.
You might want to check this link out.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/garden-plan...garden-planner.aspx
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Judy Mendel 05-19-2012
08:44 AM ET (US)
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Don't forget, after you go to the Farmers Market, come to the Evanston Garden Fair today (Sat) or tomorrow (Sun) from 9 am - 4 pm to buy your organic veggie, herb and berry plants. Independence Park, Central Street
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Lynn Hyndman
05-12-2012
10:20 AM ET (US)
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Alert!
The Evanston garden clubs' sale is on the 20th and not tomorrow. Very sorry for the confusion.
At 4pm that Sunday the give away begins for schools.
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Lynn Hyndman
05-11-2012
04:49 PM ET (US)
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Apologies. Scrambled message from my iPad.
If you plan to come by the plant give away on Sunday, please let me know so I might share with the garden clubs.
Lynn@evanstonsage.org
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Lynn Hyndman
05-11-2012
04:45 PM ET (US)
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Free Plants for School Gardens
Sunday, May 13 at 4pm in Independence Park, on Central Street
We wish the garden clubs a successful sale but they are making left over plants avaiilable to schools for free. We have a thriving Lovage and Hyesop plant In the Dawes garden that we received a few years ago.
The give away begins at 4pm sharp and won't last long long as the garden clubs want to leave their tents.
If you plan to come by, please let me know as they would like a senmanor howmany schools plan to show up.
Thanks,
Lynn at lynn@evanstonsage.org
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Lynn Hyndman
05-01-2012
11:55 PM ET (US)
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Greetings!
Rachel Rosner highly recommends this workshop.
SGA is pleased to announce our upcoming farm to school educator training. Please share with your organization and networks. Registration is now open and space is limited.
Fresh from the Farm is a farm to school program featuring K-8 curricula that encourages healthy choices and environmental awareness among children.
For only $185, you'll walk away with:
• Curriculum materials & activities to immediately
implement FFF in your classroom
• Knowledge and resources to start and maintain a garden
• CPDU credits for 16 hours of training
Join the experts at SGA, Waters Elementary School, Lincoln Park Edible Garden, Green City Market & Green Earth Institute!
"I learned about teaching the whole child, the importance of moving and being outdoors, eating healthy and gardening with kids...it was a wonderful, valuable way to spend my day."
–Bethany, 5th grade teacher, Lewis School, Carbondale, IL
Educator Training Sessions
May 16, 4-8pm: Fresh from the Farm Curricula Overview
May 17, 4-8pm: Exploring School Gardens
May 19, 10am-3pm: Connecting to Local Farms
June 2, 10am-1pm: Farm Field Experience
For session descriptions and locations, please click here.
Register by mail Online Registration
A special thanks to our funders:
Illinois Department of Womens' Health
The Lumpkin Family Foundation
Questions?
Email shari@sevengenerationsahead.org
www.sevengenerationsahead.org | 708.660.9912
Seven Generations Ahead | 642 S. Lombard | Oak Park | IL | 60304
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Judy Mendel 04-30-2012
10:58 PM ET (US)
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The Talking Farm has also set up its first Work Day next week at the Howard Street Farm. Thursday, May 10, from 1 - 5pm. You don't need to volunteer for all 4 hours, come when you can, but please let Linda know you are coming and also call her if the weather looks inclement. Please dress accordingly for the weather. No flip flops or sandals please. Bring a water bottle.
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Judy Mendel 04-30-2012
10:56 PM ET (US)
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BREAKING NEWS! The Talking Farm will be selling our organically and locally grown seedlings at the opening day of the outdoor Evanston Farmers Market this Saturday, May 5th from 7:30am-1pm. We need volunteers as this was a last minute opportunity we did not want to miss. Can any of you SAGErs help out? It would be much appreciated. Please contact Linda as soon as possible at linda@thetalkingfarm.org or 847-651-1197 to volunteer. Please forward this info to all of your networks. Thanks.
Last year our intrepid volunteers braved very cold temperatures and rain at the Opening Day of the Farmers Market. This year looks to be better weather-wise so come on out and get your organic locally grown seedlings.
Herbs such as oregano, dill, parsley and cilantro
Greens such as bok choi, spinach and kale
Many varieties of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant
Strawberry plants
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Stephanie Fine
04-30-2012
07:47 PM ET (US)
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Attention school gardens!
Whole Foods Market in Downtown Evanston (Church and Chicago-1640 Chicago Ave) has a limited quantity (approx 150) of mixed vegetable seed packets immediately available to donate to Evanston school gardens. Seed packets are all for edible crops, and most are for lettuce mixes. These valuable seeds are available until they're gone. Interested? Please send an email to Stephanie Fine at stephanie.e.fine@gmail.com with your school name and phone number. And let's give a big THANK YOU to Whole Foods Market in Evanston for supporting our young Evanston gardeners!!
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Judy Mendel 04-27-2012
03:07 PM ET (US)
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The Talking Farm will be at Skokie Spring Greening http://www.skokiespringgreening.com/ this Sunday, April 29 10am-4pm at Niles North in Skokie. Check out their website as there is entertainment, a business expo and more importantly a huge recycling/reuse effort. You can bring used shoes, fire extinguishers, medicines, and the usual things such as batteries, CFLs, etc. The Talking Farm will have a demonstration by Linda Kruhmin at 2:30pm: Cultivating Crops in Creative Containers: Bales, Boxes, Bags, Bowls and Buckets. Also, we have just learned we will be able to SELL OUR SEEDLINGS, so if you need herbs, bok choi, kale, etc, please come by. We will also have some beautiful tomato plants.
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Stephanie Fine
04-27-2012
01:18 PM ET (US)
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Have or know of an upcoming project that requires a substantial volunteer effort? There are several groups of Evanston adults looking for a hands-on community service project to do together in early June. If you know of a project that 30-or-so colleagues could help with during a half day of effort, please contact Stephanie Fine at stephanie.e.fine@gmail.com.
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Lynn Hyndman
04-25-2012
06:50 PM ET (US)
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Green Net’s 20th Annual Green & Growing Fair
Saturday April 28, 2012 11am - 4pm
GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY
300 N Central Park Ave
Chicago, IL 60624
This is always a fun and informative event and if you have never been to the Garfield Park Conservatory it's worth the trip by itself.
Gathering of Chicago’s Community Gardeners Gardening & Greening Vendors Live Demonstrations Informational Booths & Sessions Family Activities, Food & Music
For more details: http://greennetchicago.org/green-growing-fair-2012
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Lynn Hyndman
04-25-2012
04:04 PM ET (US)
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FREE Monthly Hands-on Gardening Workshop Series in The Edible Gardens at Lincoln Park Zoo
Below is a link to the Green City Market's program. Jeanne Pinsof Nolan, who teaches the classes has over 20 years experience growing food and is a great educator.
http://www.greencitymarket.org/programs/program.asp?id=8
SAGE Steering Committee
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Mindy Wallis 04-19-2012
01:13 PM ET (US)
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Bravo, Lynn Hyndman!
Former Dawes teacher, now volunteer, recognized for school garden program
Chicago resident Lynn Hyndman could not stay away from teaching after her 26-year tenure as a science lab teacher at Dawes Elementary School.
For the past nine years, she has educated District 65 students about the importance of eating healthy by maintaining a school garden program.
The 70 year old was recognized at a reception for Evanston volunteers April 10 for teaching though the garden program at the 8th Ward school, 440 Dodge Ave., and for her involvement in SAGE: Schools Are Gardening in Evanston, a division of the Keep Evanston Beautiful initiative. SAGE’s vision is to create sustainable gardens at schools in order to promote healthy eating.
“I thought it was very sweet to be recognized,” Hyndman said. “It is exciting because there are now 14 public schools in District 65 that have gardens. Most of them are still pretty modest, but the movement is definitely growing.”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade have lessons at the Dawes garden Hyndman started in the early 2000s. In the spring, each class plants seedlings of cool-season plants, from greens to radishes. Then, during the summer, school families and volunteers plant warm-season seedlings, including tomatoes, peppers and squashes. When the children return in the fall, they harvest the plants and sample the fruits once they are ripe.
“The heart of the program is really the tastings because what we’re about is educating children about healthier food choices,” Hyndman said.
The program is trying to change the nation’s fast-food culture and encourage the children to have open minds about trying new foods, Hyndman said.
Susan Jicha, the Dawes librarian and co-chair of the school’s garden committee, said students respond positively to this experiential learning about nutrition.
“One mother told me her kid would never eat a carrot until he pulled one out of the ground in the garden,” Jicha said. “Now he loves them.”
Hyndman, Jicha and Rian Davis, a Dawes kindergarten teacher, all agreed the children’s excitement is the most rewarding element of the garden.
“They just love the chance to touch, sniff and observe,” Davis said. “So often we are telling children not to touch anything, but in the garden, they can touch and learn how to touch gently. They just love the chance to roam and explore.”
Davis also praised Hyndman for her garden lessons. Hyndman taught Davis’s class about garden vocabulary onWednesday.
“She just talks to them so age appropriately,” Davis said. “She tells them even though we call it dirt outside the garden, when we’re in the garden it’s called soil.”
This summer, the SAGE program will hold a workshop for teachers in the school district that will educate them about the value of garden education and strategies to tie gardening into their curriculum, Hyndman said.
The entire community has to be involved in sustainable gardening, Hyndman said. SAGE has gained support from businesses such as Whole Foods, local rotary clubs, nonprofits and volunteers, many from Northwestern and Evanston Township High School.
“We recognize that we had to move to the larger community if we wanted to sustain this effort because really it’s about a better future for our children,” Hyndman said.
At the end of the school year, Hyndman will step down from her role as garden teacher.
“I want to leave when I can help facilitate the transition in a very thoughtful way instead of having to suddenly,” Hyndman said.
Parent volunteers will teach the class until the garden committee can reach its long-term goal of hiring a paid garden teacher. Hyndman will remain as garden coordinator after the transition.
Jicha said Hyndman has greatly influenced the community by creating this sustainable project.
“She has been tireless, selfless and persistent in her dream, and her dream is not for herself,” Jicha said. “She is passionate about making Evanston a better place for children and helping children be healthy and happy.”
http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/city/form...731886#.T5BGuI53K3k
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