Root Cellars Rock Food Skills Workshops
A Resource for Community Organizations in Newfoundland & Labrador Planting: Container Gardening
Prepared by:
Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador Sarah Ferber, Root Cellars Rock Project Coordinator
www.foodsecuritynews.com
44 Torbay Road, Suite 110 St. John’s, NL A1A 2G4 Phone: 709.237-4026 Fax: 709.237.4231 [email protected]
With funding support from:
Provincial Wellness Grant Program, Health Promotion and Wellness Division, Department of Health and Community Services
Job Creation Partnership Program, Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment
2012
Preface
The 4Ps of local food are planting, picking, preparing, and preserving. Together they encompass how to grow food, harvest it, make healthy meals from it, and preserve it for future use. Based upon the 4Ps, these workshops were created by the Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador (FSN) as part of the Root Cellars Rock project. They are intended to assist community groups across the province in fostering knowledge, capacity, and engagement with healthy, traditional food skills in their communities. The workshop kit outlines what community groups will need to know in order to successfully host their own workshops on the 4Ps.
These workshops have been created in consultation with the Root Cellars Rock Advisory Committee and other local food champions from across the province. The inspiration behind the workshops was the ongoing success and growth of community-based food security initiatives province-wide and a need identified by those groups for Newfoundland and Labrador focused resources. FSN surveyed community-based food security groups to find out what topics were of most interest to them and how they thought the workshops should be designed. The Root Cellars Rock Food Skills Workshops are the result of their input and ideas. Groups surveyed across the province include community gardens, farmers’ markets, community kitchens, family resource centres, regional wellness coalitions, environmental organizations, and food security working groups, to name a few.
These workshops are meant to be a living resource. Through ongoing input and evaluation, FSN hopes to update and improve the materials to ensure their continued appropriateness for local groups. For further information on how to provide input and evaluation on the workshops, see page 13.
FSN would like to thank the many individuals, agencies, and community groups that supported the creation of this resource.
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Acknowledgements Ongoing support was provided by staff of the Food Security Network NL: Kristie Jameson, Executive Director Rick Kelly, Communications Coordinator Laura Nelson-Hamilton, Office Manager
The author would like to thank the Root Cellars Rock Advisory Committee for providing inspiration, ideas and editing towards all of the workshops: Kimberley Armstrong, Burin Donna Nolan, Regional Peninsula Environmental Nutritionist, Eastern Health Reform Committee (BPERC) Katie Temple, Blow Me Down Laurie Leehane Community Garden Shawn Meredyk Kim Todd, thegreenrock.ca Matthew Middleton Faeterri Silver Morgan Murray Mark Wilson, NL Organics Thanks go to the following individuals and organizations that have contributed to the completion and success of this project: ACORN-NL Jill Airhart, Food Security Working Group Happy Valley- Goose Bay Rachelle Batstone, Community Garden Alliance, FEASt Maureen Bethel, Daybreak Parent and Child Centre Crystal Braye, MA student Public Folklore, MUN Brighter Futures Coalition Burin Peninsula Environmental Reform Committee (BPERC) Andreae Callanan, FEASt Central Health Central Regional Wellness Coalition Sonya Clarke-Casey, MacMorran Community Centre Community Sector Council Sarah Crocker, NEA REDB, Seed to Spoon Eastern Health Environmental Policy Institute, Grenfell Campus Family Outreach Resource Centre Father Val Power Learning Centre Food Education Action St. John’s (FEASt) Grand Lake Centre of Economic Development Lori Heath, Common Ground, St. John’s Safer Soil Humber Economic Development Board Intangible Cultural Heritage, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
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Costa Kasimos, FEASt Labrador Grenfell Health Michelle LeBlanc, Chinched Bistro Lower Trinity South Regional Development Association Marla MacLeod, Food Action Committee of the Ecology Action Centre Aida Mashari, St. John’s Fruit Tree Project, Common Ground Sarah Macaulay Jill MacEachern, Eat Great and Participate Paula Mendonça, FEASt Sue Mercer, Exploits Valley Community Coalition Multi-Material Stewardship Board (MMSB) MUN Botanical Garden and all its staff Martha Muzychka Newfoundland and Labrador Environment Network (NLEN) Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture (NLFA) Cathy Parsons, MMSB Julie Pomeroy, Agricultural History Society of NL Dan Rubin, Perfectly Perennial Herbs and Seeds Vanessa Sheppard Smallwood Crescent Community Centre Marg Snook, Father Val Power Learning Centre St. John’s Farmers’ Market Sister Mary Tee, Mercy Centre for Ecology and Justice The Greenhouse/ Thistle’s Limited Amanda Warren, MacMorran Community Centre Leonard Vassallo Vibrant Communities Western Environment Centre (WEC) Jill Wheaton, Central Health Regional Nutritionist
Photo contributions for the Introduction and Appendices: Cover Page: (Clockwise from Page 15: Rick Kelly top right) Tim Walsh, Cathy Page 16: Fran Boase Parsons, MUN Botanical Page 17: Sue Mercer Garden, Fran Boase Page 18: FSN Page 9: Rachelle Batstone Page 20: Fran Boase Page 10: Sarah Crocker Page 21: FSN Page 11: Sarah Ferber Page 22: FSN Page 13: Fran Boase Page 23: Fran Boase Page 14: FSN Page 34: Rachelle Batstone
Acknowledgements of photos used in the workshops can be found at the end of each workshop section.
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Table of Contents
Preface ...... 3 Acknowledgements ...... 4 Table of Contents ...... 6 Introduction ...... 8 Food Security Network NL (FSN) ...... 8 Root Cellars Rock ...... 8 The 4Ps of Local Food ...... 9 The Food Skills Workshops ...... 10 Evaluation and Follow-up ...... 13 Things to Keep in Mind ...... 14 Get to Know Participants ...... 14 Build a Welcoming Space for Adult Learners ...... 15 Location ...... 16 Agenda & Timing ...... 17 Materials & Budget ...... 18 Funds to Host a Workshop ...... 19 Safety...... 21 Promotion ...... 22 Preparedness ...... 23 FSN Resources ...... 24 Appendices ...... 26 Appendix A: Are You Ready? Checklist ...... 26 Appendix B: Budget Template ...... 27 Appendix C: Supplies & Costing Template ...... 29 Appendix D: Sample Poster ...... 30 Appendix E: Sample Registration Form ...... 31 Appendix F: Registration Tracking Template ...... 32 Appendix G: Garden Safety ...... 33 Appendix H: Food Safety ...... 35 Appendix I: Nutrition ...... 37 Appendix J: Grant Opportunities ...... 38 Appendix K: Garden Crops in NL ...... 40
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Planting ...... 43 1. Container Gardening ...... 43 1.1. Preparation ...... 43 1.2. Workshop ...... 46 Introduction ...... 46 Roots of Our Local Food ...... 47 Digging In ...... 48 What is Container Gardening? ...... 49 Reasons to Grow Edible Plants in Containers ...... 49 You’re Going to Plant in What?! ...... 50 Recipes for Soil ...... 54 Planting ...... 56 Location, Location, Location ...... 58 Precautions ...... 59 Keep it Growing ...... 60 Activities ...... 66 Painting and Planting an Herb Pot ...... 66 Planting Fall Garlic...... 68 Edible Flower Garden ...... 71 Conclusion ...... 74 Bibliography ...... 75 Photo Credits ...... 76 1.3. Supplementary Materials ...... 77 Sample Agenda ...... 77 Evaluation Form ...... 78 Choosing Containers and Plants...... 80 Resources ...... 83 FSN E-News Sign-up Sheet ...... 84
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Introduction Food Security Network NL (FSN)
The Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador (FSN) is a provincial, membership-based, non-profit organization initially started in 1998 in response to growing levels of hunger and poverty in the province. Since then, FSN has been at the forefront of food security work in the province - fostering awareness, dialogue and action around food security issues.
FSN’s mission is to actively promote comprehensive, community-based solutions to ensure physical and economic access to adequate and healthy food for all.
Root Cellars Rock is one of several projects that FSN administers in order to advance that mission. For more information, visit www.foodsecuritynews.com Root Cellars Rock
The Root Cellars Rock project aims to stimulate healthy local food production and consumption across the province by celebrating Newfoundland and Labrador's agricultural heritage and fostering growth in agriculture and local food self-sufficiency.
Why Root Cellars? Root cellars were once an integral part of our provincial food system. Cold storage in root cellars allowed people to preserve harvests and to eat locally grown foods for more of the year. Subsistence living in Newfoundland and Labrador was not easy and many communities added to their imported food supplies by growing gardens, fishing, hunting, and foraging wild foods, all of which would have been preserved to last the winter without refrigeration.
Root cellars are used as a symbol of Newfoundland & Labrador's unique food heritage and potential for increased self-sufficiency. For more information on root cellars, refer to the Root Cellars workshop.
These workshops are one aspect of Root Cellars Rock. Other activities include:
Resource sharing through the Root Cellars Rock blog and social media; Building partnerships with and assisting community groups that are fostering Newfoundland and Labrador’s local food system; and Participating in the development of resources that promote access to healthy local foods in the province.
To learn more about Root Cellars Rock activities, visit www.rootcellarsrock.ca.
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The 4Ps of Local Food
The concept of the 4Ps of Local Food was coined by Neil Tilley, who was a Newfoundland and Labrador community organizer, organic farmer, and advocate for environmental stewardship. FSN respectfully uses the 4Ps of local food in his memory. The 4Ps of local food are: Planting, Picking, Preparing, and Preserving. Planting: How to Grow Food
Planting includes all aspects of growing healthy food up until the time when plants are ready to be harvested. Planting can refer to household or community gardening, sprouting, and agricultural cultivation of products like vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The two workshops under Planting are: A raised bed container garden 1. Container Gardening 2. Composting Picking: How to Harvest Cultivated & Wild Foods
Picking includes all aspects of harvesting food, both foods that have grown in the wild and those that are cultivated in a garden or on a farm. Picking includes harvesting foods derived from animals as well as plants. Raising backyard chickens and other livestock, beekeeping, hunting, fishing, as well as harvesting vegetables, or gathering wild plants all fall under Picking. The two workshops under Picking are:
3. Seed Saving 4. Edible Wild Plants Preparing: How to Prepare Healthy Meals
Preparing describes the process of making healthy meals that will be eaten soon after they are prepared. Cooking skills, meal traditions, and information about ingredients are all included under Preparing. The two Preparing workshops are:
5. Preparing Local Vegetables 6. Using Culinary Herbs
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Preserving: How to Store and Preserve Food
Preserving incorporates the various methods for storing and preserving food to keep it for future consumption. Root cellars and cold storage, canning (bottling), pickling, drying, salting, freezing, fermenting, and smoking are all techniques under Preserving. The two workshops for Preserving are: Harvested tomatoes 7. Canning/Bottling 8. Root Cellars The Food Skills Workshops
Why Host a Food Skills Workshop?
Hosting a Food Skills Workshop can have several cultural, health, environmental, educational, and financial benefits. Participants will:
Help to preserve traditional food skills and knowledge; Learn practical, hands-on food skills that promote healthy eating and are part of an active lifestyle; Meet and connect with other like-minded individuals that care about creating supportive local food communities; Gain awareness of ways to live sustainably with minimal impact on the environment; Build confidence through recognizing the value of the skills and knowledge that they and other local people already have; Connect with organizations and groups in the area that offer valuable services and opportunities; Discover affordable ways to enjoy locally produced, healthy foods year- round; and Become better connected with their food system and gain a greater understanding of community food security. Who Should Host a Food Skills Workshop?
Any individual or community group that is interested in promoting food skills can host a workshop. Throughout the workshops, the term facilitator is used to refer
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to the people organizing and presenting these workshops in communities. Facilitators do not need to be experts in these topics. The workshops are meant to be introductory learning experiences, both for participants attending the workshops and facilitators preparing them.
Included in each workshop is background information on the topic, supplementary resources, and detailed activity plans. After carefully reading through these materials, facilitators will hopefully feel confident hosting their own workshop. For additional information contact [email protected] How to Use the Workshops
The eight workshops can be hosted individually or also work well when offered as part of a series. For example, a farmers’ market might host a few workshops from each of the 4Ps over the course of the market season, to showcase the products that farmers are selling.
A community garden may choose to host two workshops from Planting and Picking, to inspire gardeners at the start of the growing season and to bring their group together during harvest.
A community kitchen may find the Preparing and Preserving workshops useful for introducing participants to new ingredients and techniques and building confidence with those.
There is no set rule on how to use these workshops; they are intended to be flexible and applicable for a variety of different purposes. Connect with local people to find out what workshops will be most valuable to community members and host a workshop in a location appropriate for the local community.
All eight workshops follow the same user-friendly format and include the following sections:
Preparation Introduction Roots of our Local Food Digging In Activities Conclusion Hosting a workshop Supplementary Materials
The workshops begin with a section titled ‘Preparation’ which introduces facilitators to important details to consider before hosting the workshop, such as gathering materials, finding a location, recruiting participants, setting a timeline, and workshop safety.
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The ‘Introduction’ section provides instructions for facilitators to introduce themselves, any hosting organizations, and share important information that will make the workshop experience comfortable for all participants.
The next section, ‘Roots of our Local Food’, provides an icebreaker activity. An aspect of Newfoundland and Labrador’s food heritage is highlighted to give participants an idea of how food skills and knowledge have been established in the province. There are suggested questions for facilitators to ask participants in order to start a discussion, put participants at ease, and connect the workshop topic back to people’s personal lives and the province’s food roots.
The section titled ‘Digging In’ provides the information that facilitators will use to introduce participants to the topics. This information was collected by FSN through literature reviews and interviews with local food champions. It is up to facilitators to decide how much and what parts of the information are relevant to their group. Facilitators may find some aspects especially useful and decide to leave others out, or may decide to use the extra resources provided to delve a bit deeper into particular concepts of interest to their group. It is recommended that facilitators try to find interesting ways to present the Digging In information besides giving a presentation. Displays, games, discussions, small group interactions, brainstorming lists, slideshows, and videos are all good ideas for relaying information. The fun really begins with the ‘Activities’ section Quick Tip of each workshop. A variety of options are presented for facilitators to choose from for When possible, it is a good hands on, interactive, and enjoyable activities idea to present the that they can lead their group through. activity options to Depending on the amount of time that is participants before the available for the workshop, participants may workshop, and have them enjoy doing more than one of the suggested choose which they would activities. Facilitators decide where to fit the find most interesting. activities in the agenda they create.
Each workshop is then wrapped up in a ‘Conclusion’ section where facilitators check back with participants to ensure that their questions have been answered and provide participants with further resources to take home for continued learning.
Included with each workshop are also ‘Supplementary Materials’ which facilitators will share with participants. At each workshop all participants should fill in an evaluation form and be encouraged to add their name to the FSN E- News sign-up sheet. As well, a resources page is included with each workshop that provides sources for further learning. The resources page also lists possible videos that could be used by facilitators during the workshop.
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Evaluation and Follow-up
FSN plans to adapt, improve, and expand these workshops over time to ensure that they are kept as up-to-date and user-friendly as possible. Community groups, facilitators, and participants are asked to please provide input about their experience using these resources by filling in and returning to FSN the evaluation form which is included in the supplementary materials of each workshop. Groups that plan to host more than one of the workshops may find it useful to keep photocopies of the evaluation forms so that feedback can also be used to improve future workshops.
Evaluation forms should be sent back to FSN by email, fax or mail:
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (709) 237-4231
Mail: Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador 44 Torbay Rd., Suite 110 St. John’s, NL A1A 2G4
Consider documenting your workshop experiences with photos or videos. Those photos and videos can be very useful to community groups for supporting future funding requests, promoting upcoming events, and showcasing the successes of a workshop or project. FSN greatly appreciates receiving copies of photos and videos to use for promotion of the workshop kit and to publicly highlight the food security initiatives happening across the province. Appendix E: Sample Registration Form (page 31) includes a question requesting consent from participants to photograph or film Container gardening workshops. workshop
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Things to Keep in Mind Get to Know Participants
Getting to know workshop participants and understanding their expectations before the start of a workshop can go a long way towards ensuring that everyone has a positive experience. The questions in the ‘Roots of Our Local Food’ section are meant to help facilitators gauge where participants’ interests lie and how familiar participants are with the topic. Organizers may also choose to ask a few questions during registration to get more familiar with participants. Refer to Appendix E: Sample Registration Form (page 31).
Depending on your location and resources, consider whether you may need to put a limit on the number of participants that can attend a workshop. These workshops are recommended for a maximum of fifteen participants. However, with adjustments to the agenda and content, they could accommodate larger numbers. Using your budget, planned activities, and venue as guides, decide what participant numbers will work best at your workshop.
These workshops are designed for adult participants. While many of the activities could be enjoyed by younger participants, the content of the workshops, safety recommendations, and other planning measures have not been written for children or youth. For alternate resources to connect children and youth with healthy local food skills, refer to the Children & Youth Introducing a workshop section on the Root Cellars Rock blog (www.rootcellarsrock.ca/children- youth).
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Build a Welcoming Space for Adult Learners
The following are principles for adult learning to keep in mind when facilitating workshops in order to create a comfortable environment for adults to learn in (adapted from the Community Kitchen Best Practice Toolkit - www.foodsecuritynews.com/resources):
Draw upon learners’ experiences as a resource. Adults have a wide experience base. Facilitators can help participants share their own experiences and create an environment where participants are encouraged to learn from one another. By focusing on the strengths learners bring to the workshop, learners are able to connect new learning with prior knowledge.
Foster a spirit of collaboration. Collaborative learning focuses on the interdependence of each member. Learners collaborate with facilitators and with each other by working together to answer questions and perform activities.
Involve learners in the planning and implementation of learning activities. Adults are interested in things that are relevant to their lives. Adults’ past experiences, their current learning goals, and their sense of self will influence what they want to learn and how they learn it. The facilitator can create a situation in which participants can share in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of workshops.
Create a climate that encourages and supports learning. Adults have a sense of personal dignity. They must be treated with respect at all times and never feel humiliated or laughed at before others. A safe atmosphere where learners can admit confusion and express different opinions is one that enhances learner self- esteem and reduces fear.
Cultivate self-direction in learners. In a supportive and safe learning environment, the facilitator can become a mentor to adult learners. They can help learners to develop skills that lead to self-direction, independent learning, and empowerment. Facilitators can encourage learners to continue to seek out knowledge and experiences related to the topic beyond the workshop. Outdoor workshop
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Location
There are several things to keep in mind when choosing a workshop location:
Availability: Be sure to book the space well in advance to ensure that it will be available at the time of the workshop. Check back with the venue in the days leading up to the workshop to confirm the booking.
Traveling distance: Choose a location that is within easy travel distance for participants. Keep in mind whether they are likely to be walking, driving (and require parking), or taking public transit. If many participants will be walking or Workshop location taking public transit, consider concluding workshops before dark or offering carpools.
Affordability: Choose a venue that is within budget for the workshop, keeping in mind other expenses like materials. Consider approaching venue operators to see if they are willing to donate the space for free or search out spaces that are always free such as community rooms at local recreation centres or libraries.
Accessibility: Consider the mobility of participants. Where possible choose venues that have few stairs or provide wheelchair access. Arrange work spaces and choose equipment that will be comfortable for all participants.
Equipment & resources: Be sure that any necessary equipment or resources are available on-site such as a kitchen, audio or video equipment, internet access, appliances, kitchen tools, and running water. Some of the workshop activities are messy so cleaning equipment should also be available.
Seating: Think about how the participants will be organized in the space. Will everyone be around a table or in a circle? Or will the facilitator be in the front facing seated participants? However you envision the lay-out, ensure that there are adequate chairs, tables, and workspaces.
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Agenda & Timing
Each workshop in its entirety is set up to last about two hours depending on the activities that are chosen. It is recommended that the workshops be done in their entirety with all the associated sections. However, if you do not have that much time with participants, consider adapting the workshops to fit your timeline. For example, you could use the ‘Roots of Our Local Food’ and ‘Digging In’ sections together and provide a shorter Community garden presentation and discussion. Or use the ‘Activities’ section alone for a quick hands-on session and then send resource materials home with participants for further learning.
Each workshop comes with a recommended agenda. Facilitators can adapt the agenda to make it appropriate for their workshop and should display it at the workshop or hand out copies for participants to follow along with. The agendas do not include break periods; however facilitators can ask participants if they would appreciate a break. If the workshops are scheduled to go beyond two hours then it is recommended that breaks be added to the agenda.
Activities will often take longer than expected, especially when participants are enjoying themselves. Keep this in mind when planning your schedule. One of the best outcomes of hosting community workshops is the networking and socializing that result, so allow time for this to happen.
Schedule workshops for times when participants are most likely to attend. Find out if the intended participants prefer days, evenings, or weekends. Many people are unavailable in the summer, so higher turnout might be likely during other times of the year. If you plan to host an internal workshop for your community group perhaps host it after or in lieu of a regular meeting at a time that participants are already comfortable with.
For workshops directed at parents or caregivers, keep in mind possible child care commitments or restricted evening schedules. Consider offering child care at workshops in exchange for a donation or running supervised children’s events at the same time as the adult workshop.
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Schedule workshops with adequate time to complete planned agenda items. The ‘Activities’ generally take place at the end of the workshop and they are extremely important for providing hands-on and interactive learning experiences. Be sure that your timeline leaves enough room that activities are not cut short.
If a workshop is going to take place during a meal time, consider providing food or hosting a potluck. Providing food is an effective way to increase attendance for a workshop or event. If you will be providing food, include that in your budget and adjust your agenda to allow time for participants to eat.
Appendix E: Sample Registration Form (page 31) and the evaluation forms included in the supplementary materials of each workshop can be used as resources to find out the best times for hosting workshops. Materials & Budget
These Food Skills Workshops have been designed to keep expenses low by recommending affordable and reused materials for workshop activities where possible. That being said, it is easy to spend more than anticipated to host a successful workshop. Consider making a budget at the start of the planning process to help monitor expenses. Refer to Appendix B: Budget Template (page 27) as a resource.
Once you have an idea of expenses, cost out the price per participant for the workshop and decide whether that amount is manageable within the resources of the group. If not, refer to Funds to Host a Workshop (page 19) for ideas to cover the costs of hosting a Workshop materials workshop.
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Funds to Host a Workshop
These workshops are meant to be inexpensive for facilitators to host but will still require some funds for materials, venue, and printing. Consider the following options for ways to finance workshops in your community: Fees
Charging participants a small and accessible fee can help to cover the cost of hosting a workshop. There are different fee types to choose from, including flat rate, sliding scale, suggested donation, and pay-what-you-can.
Flat rate: A set fee is required from all participants. It could reflect the cost per participant to cover the workshop expenses or could be set a bit higher to fundraise for the group hosting the workshop.
Sliding scale: Participants are categorized in some way and are required to pay a fee that reflects their income level, involvement in the hosting group, or role at the workshop. This type of fee structure can create incentive for participants to join a group’s membership or volunteer so that they are able to pay a discounted fee. Some examples of sliding scale categories are:
employed individuals, unwaged individuals adults, students, seniors non-members, members regular participants, participants who volunteer
Suggested donation: A donation amount is suggested and participants decide what they can reasonably afford to donate based on that amount. For example, suggested donation may be $5 but some individuals will choose to donate $10 and others may donate $2.
Pay-what-you-can: Participants are asked to pay some money towards the workshop but there is no limit or suggestion on what that amount should be so participants decide what is reasonable for them. Fundraising
A fundraiser could be held to raise money for hosting workshops. The fundraising process is also a good opportunity for promoting the upcoming workshop in the community. Keep in mind that sometimes fundraisers can take up more volunteer time than is reasonable considering the amount of money they raise. Try to come up with fundraising ideas that are easy to organize and will not require too many resources to succeed. Consider the following fundraising options and be creative when brainstorming other ideas:
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host a bake sale or sell beverages at a community event like a farmers’ market or fall fair sell raffle tickets for donated prizes host a garage sale or plant sale Donations
The costs associated with hosting a workshop can be greatly lessened if Bake sale your group seeks out donations of materials or in-kind donations like free access to a venue or equipment. Consider approaching the following local businesses and groups for assistance:
gardening and landscaping businesses grocery stores town councils service and church groups community centres farmers hardware and home stores restaurants local businesses libraries Grants
Grants are funds distributed by an organization (like a government department, business, or foundation) to assist in the creation of community projects that fit within the funding organization’s mandate. Grants usually involve an application process and follow-up reporting and may take several months to process. Most grants require that applicant groups be either registered not-for-profits or charities in order to apply. Usually individuals cannot apply to grants.
For information on becoming incorporated as a not-for-profit or gaining charitable status visit the Community Sector Council Newfoundland and Labrador website: http://communitysector.nl.ca/voluntary-sector- resources/starting-nonprofit-or-charity. Refer to Appendix J: Grant Opportunities (page 38) for a list of grants and grant databases.
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Safety
Safety is very important when hosting a workshop. Keep in mind the wellbeing of everyone in attendance when planning out venues, materials, food, activities and other considerations. Hosting activities outdoors and at gardens creates safety considerations that are unique from indoor workshops. Refer to Appendix G: Garden Safety (page 33) for things to keep in mind for garden workshops.
Serving and/or preparing food at a workshop can really improve the experience for participants, but it means that food safety precautions need to be taken. Refer to Appendix H: Food Safety Be safe while using tools (page 35) for provincial food safety guidelines to follow when hosting a workshop.
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Promotion
Try to promote workshops as much as possible in your community well in advance. Use Appendix E: Sample Registration Form (page 31) and Appendix F: Registration Tracking Template (page 32) as resources to keep track of how many people will be attending and to decide how much more promotion should be done to fill up available spaces as the workshop date gets closer.
The following are a few tips for successfully promoting an upcoming workshop:
Use the FSN E-News: Send your event listing to FSN for inclusion in the monthly E-News. The E-News is an email newsletter packed Leading a workshop full of events, opportunities and resources and it goes out to individuals and groups across the province. Email your event to [email protected] before the first Monday of the month to be included in that month’s e-news. Sign-up to receive the E- news at www.foodsecuritynews.com Promote the event through Root Cellars Rock: Email [email protected] to find out about putting notices up on the Root Cellars Rock blog, Facebook, and twitter. Spread the word: Everywhere you go, tell people about the great workshop you are hosting and ask them to pass the word on. It’s helpful to have a handout with the workshop information or a website address that you can direct people to so they will not forget the details later. Share with your network: Send emails out over listservs, put a blurb in newsletters, post notices on community boards, make a Facebook event, promote the workshop on twitter, and post the details on group websites. Use free local media: Make a radio public service announcement (PSA) or create a press release and distribute that to local media to generate interest for articles and news stories. Connect with local groups: Brainstorm about other local groups that have members that may be interested in attending and then ask if you can promote the workshop through them. For example, if you are doing a workshop on container gardening then perhaps local community gardens, horticulture clubs, community centres, seniors groups, or schools would be interested in promoting the event.
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Use local events calendars: Often your municipality, local newspaper, or tourism centre will have online or on-location community calendars that you can post events on for free. Promote the activities: Activities are the hands-on part of the workshops and they are a great draw for attracting interest. For example, advertise that you are hosting a composting workshop, but be sure to mention that you will be making a vermicompost bin as a group. Promote the event through the venue: If you are hosting at a community centre, library, farmers’ market, or other public space then put up posters, use on-site calendars and newsletters, and ask venue operators to spread the word. Having fun at a workshop Make a poster: Making posters and handouts can be time consuming, but are great when used effectively. Rather than putting up posters everywhere, think about who you are trying to reach and poster where those people go. Use Appendix D: Sample Poster (page 30) as a template. Promote the workshop at other events: Ask to attend the events and meetings of related groups to tell people about the workshop. Start early and finish late: Give people lots of notice when workshops are being hosted and then send out reminders right before the workshop. Often those last minute reminders convince people to attend. Preparedness
Before planning a workshop, carefully review the materials in this kit. Thoughtful review of the materials and adequate preparation will ensure that you organize the right venue, materials, content, promotions, and activities and host a highly successful workshop. Use Appendix A: Are You Ready? Checklist (page 26) as a planning resource.
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FSN Resources
When organizing workshops, feel free to contact FSN with any questions or feedback. FSN can also put you in contact with other groups across the province that have done the same workshops already and can share resources and lessons, which may be helpful in organizing your workshop.
FSN has many resources in addition to these workshops. Explore the links below and print or forward any resources that could benefit workshop participants. For more information visit www.foodsecuritynews.com or contact FSN at [email protected] and (709) 237-4026.
Root Cellars Rock online:
The Root Cellars Rock blog (rootcellarsrock.ca) is an interactive online space for learning about the 4 P’s of local food. It includes posts from across the province, recipes, links, resources, event listings and a forum to share tips and ask questions. The Root Cellars Rock YouTube channel features a collection of linked videos to help build food skills. (www.youtube.com/user/RootCellarsRock) For daily local food tips, resources, and opportunities visit the Root Cellars Rock Facebook page(www.facebook.com/rootcellarsrock) and Twitter (twitter.com/#!/rootcellarsrock)
E-News: FSN distributes a monthly e- newsletter featuring funding and volunteer opportunities, news, events, and resources. Sign up at www.foodsecuritynews.com or use the sign-up sheet found in the supplementary materials of each workshop. To advertise your project or events, email [email protected] before the first Monday of the month.
Food Security Pamphlets and Fact Sheets: FSN created a series of fact sheets filled with easy to understand information about food security. You can find these online at www.foodsecuritynews.com/resources
FSN Fact Sheet
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Best Practices Toolkits: FSN developed four Best Practices Toolkits for community organizations which feature step-by- step guides and resources for starting and maintaining community gardens, farmers’ markets, community kitchens, and bulk buying clubs. Contact FSN to get copies or find them online at www.foodsecuritynews.com/resources.
Food Security Initiative Inventory: FSN maintains an online directory of Food Security Initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador, including: food banks, shelters, meal programs, community gardens, community kitchens, bulk buying clubs, farmers' markets, local farms, local food retailers, and more. It is available on FSN’s website at www.foodsecuritynews.com/resources.
Teleconference Series: FSN holds regular teleconferences on topics related to food security, such as community gardening, nutrition, farm direct marketing, farmers’ markets, land use, and food policy. Previous teleconferences are archived as power point presentations, audio recordings, and written summaries on FSN’s website at www.foodsecuritynews.com/teleconferences.html. Sign up to the E-News to hear about future teleconferences.
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Appendices Appendix A: Are You Ready? Checklist
Use this checklist to make sure that you are ready to host a Root Cellars Rock Food Skills Workshop. As you complete each task, check it off.
Carefully read through the introductory materials to get familiar with how to host any of the Root Cellars Rock Food Skills Workshops. Decide which workshop you would like to host. Keep accessibility in mind throughout all planning. Read through the workshop of your choice carefully. Identify who will facilitate the workshop. Decide what information you want to present from Digging In. Quick Tip Decide what Activities you want to do. Involve potential Develop your agenda for the workshop. participants in planning Create a budget for your workshop. and decision-making so Organize funds to cover workshop costs. that you host a workshop that is well-attended, fun Choose a date and time. for everyone, and best Book an appropriate venue. reflects the interests in your Promote the workshop to the community. community. Create a materials list. Gather donated, reused, and purchased materials. Register participants. Print the following: 1 copy of the FSN E-News Sign-Up Sheet Evaluation Forms for each participant, volunteer and facilitator Resource sheets for each participant Check to make sure all the equipment you will use works. Remind participants of the workshop by email or phone. Have fun at your food skills workshop! Take photos and videos to share. Return the completed FSN E-News Sign-Up Sheet and Evaluation Forms to FSN immediately following the workshop.
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Appendix B: Budget Template
Workshop Title: Date of Workshop:
Organizers:
Estimated Expenses
Description Amount Notes
Venue
Activity materials (Refer to Appendix C, page 29, for more details)
Refreshments & food
Photocopying
Other*:
Total Estimated Expenses $
*’Other’ might include things like transportation, child care, honourariums, thank you gifts, etc.
Estimated expenses ÷ estimated # of participants = cost per participant ______÷ ______= ______
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Estimated Funds Available
Description Amount Notes
Fees from participants
Donations
Grants
Group’s workshop funds
Other:
Total Estimated Funds $
Estimated funds - Estimated expenses = Estimated surplus or deficit
______- ______= ______
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Appendix C: Supplies & Costing Template
Workshop Title: Date of Workshop:
Organizers:
Fill in the details for each of the materials that will be needed to run the workshop.
when when Pick-up Item Description Quantity Cost Person Responsible item is setting up Location acquired workshop
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Appendix D: Sample Poster
Join us for a Food Skills Workshop About:
Date:
Time:
Location:
Contact:
details:
Share ideas, experiences, interests, and learn new skills! www.rootcellarsrock.ca
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Appendix E: Sample Registration Form
Return completed forms to:
Food Skills Workshop Registration Form
Please fill in this registration form to the best of your ability. It will be kept private and used only to ensure your spot in the upcoming workshop.
Phone Name: Number:
Email:
1. Do you have any food restrictions that organizers should be aware of, including allergies?
2. Photos and videos may be taken at the workshop. Do you consent to being photographed and/or filmed? [ ] Yes [ ] No
3. Please rank and circle your prior understanding of the workshop topic, where 1= little understanding and 5= very knowledgeable:
1 2 3 4 5
3. What do you hope to learn or gain by attending this workshop?
4. Please share any additional comments or suggestions that would assist in making this a positive workshop experience for you:
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Appendix F: Registration Tracking Template
Workshop Title: Date of Workshop:
Notes (Including Participant Name Phone # Email Fee Paid Food Restrictions)
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Appendix G: Garden Safety
The following is a list of safety tips to keep in mind when gardening or using garden tools at a workshop. Share this information with participants as needed.
1. Protect yourself from sun overexposure, exhaustion and injury:
wear a hat and adequate clothing for the weather apply sunscreen take breaks in the shade drink enough water to stay hydrated eat enough healthy food to maintain energy pace yourself and be aware of your physical limits stretch after vigorous activity or keeping to one position for a long time avoid straining your back, neck, and knees have a first aid kit on site and when possible, someone trained in first aid
2. Stay safe when using garden machinery and tools:
wear sturdy gardening gloves, footwear and clothing that covers skin choose equipment that is the right size and weight for you to handle When you are unsure of how to use something, ask for guidance keep equipment clean and rust-free store equipment in safe, dry places maintain a tidy work space be aware of possible tripping hazards place sharp equipment like rakes sharp-side-down do not leave equipment unattended keep equipment in good working order with tune-ups and repairs read and follow manufacturer’s instructions for all equipment do not work with electrical equipment in wet or damp conditions use extension cords that are rated for outdoor use
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3. Be cautious when using fertilizers (even organic), pesticides, and chemicals:
keep skin covered by wearing long clothing and sturdy gloves remove garden shoes and brush off clothing before going indoors and consider keeping separate clothing to be worn only during application read and follow manufacturer’s instructions closely store fertilizers, pesticides and Raised bed with bricks chemicals in safe places away from food, children, and pets
4. Ensure food safety in the garden:
(Adapted from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension http://youtu.be/o3zlq9BdoGY) choose a garden site that is away from septic systems, manure piles, and areas where animals frequent if using surface water (streams, ponds, etc.) or rain barrels to water your garden, apply water to the base of plants at the soil level if using well water, ensure that the water is regularly tested for safety use potable water to clean soil and residue from foods harvest foods with clean hands/gloves and tools harvest foods into clean, food-grade containers if putting foods into storage, be sure to handle them gently to avoid creating damage that could eventually rot ensure that harvested foods are adequately dry before storing be aware of potential soil contamination and consider having your soil tested, refer to St. John’s Safer Soil (http://safersoil.ning.com/) as a resource if growing food in containers, do not use pressure treated wood, painted materials or heat/water sensitive containers that could degrade and leach contaminants into the soil
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Appendix H: Food Safety
For more information on food safety visit: www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/publichealth/envhealth/foodsafetyinfo.html
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Appendix I: Nutrition
Canada’s Food Guide provides recommendations on daily consumption from each of the four food groups: vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk and alternatives, and meat and alternatives. It can be used as a resource when preparing for workshops or given out to participants to take home for further reference.
Health Canada also produces a complementary food guide tailored to reflect the food traditions and choices of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. To access copies of Canada’s Food Guide or Canada’s Food Guide for First Nations, Inuit and Métis, visit the Health Canada website (www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide- aliment/index-eng.php) or your local public health office.
Key messages from Canada's Food Guide: Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day. Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt. Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice. Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day. Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt. Select lower fat milk alternatives. Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often. Eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week. Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt.
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Appendix J: Grant Opportunities Grant Databases
Search these databases to find many different grants and funding opportunities:
Canadian Heritage Funding Programs: www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1268917737337/1268917925906 Charity Village: https://charityvillage.com/topics/fundraising/funders.aspx Farm Grants: http://farmgrants.wikispaces.com/ Newfoundland and Labrador Environment Network funding database: www.nlen.ca/resources/funds-grants-and-foundations/ Grants for Charitable Organizations and Not-for-Profits
These grants support projects addressing a number of different topics. Review the application requirements for each grant to see if your group qualifies.
Aviva Community Fund: www.avivacommunityfund.org Carrot Cache: http://carrotcache.com/ Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador: www.cfnl.ca Community Youth Network, St. John’s- Special Project Grant: www.thrivecyn.ca/main.php?sid=31 Nature’s Path Gardens for Good: www.facebook.com/naturespath/app_401418026549919 New Horizons for Seniors Program: www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml NLEN Member Support Program: www.nlen.ca/resources/member- support-program/ Provincial Wellness Grant: www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/wellnesshealthyliving/provincialwellness.htm l Regional Wellness Coalitions: For more information on funding opportunities contact the Regional Wellness Coalition in your area. www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/wellnesshealthyliving/wellnesscoalitions.html Shell Fuelling Change: www.shell.ca/home/content/can- en/environment_society/fuellingchange/ Small Change Fund: http://smallchangefund.org/
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TD Friends of the Environment: www.fef.td.com VOCM Cares Foundation: www.vocmcares.com Walmart-Evergreen: www.evergreen.ca/en/funding/grants/walmart.sn Employment Support Programs
If your group is trying to hire staff or create an internship then these employment programs may be of help:
Career Focus: For more information contact the Service Canada Centre in your area and visit http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/ for a list of Service Canada Centres. Community Enhancement Employment Program: www.ma.gov.nl.ca/ma/emp_support/ceep.html Graduate Employment Program: www.aes.gov.nl.ca/students/graduate.html Job Creation Partnership (JCP): www.aes.gov.nl.ca/lmda/jcp.html NL Works: http://www.aes.gov.nl.ca/findajob/nlworks.html Student Employment Program (Level I, II, III): http://www.aes.gov.nl.ca/students/studentemployment.html Student Work and Service Program (SWASP): www.hrle.gov.nl.ca/hrle/students/swasp.html Targeted Initiative for Older Workers: www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/employment/employment_measures/older_worker s/index.shtml
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Appendix K: Garden Crops in NL
* This is only a general guide. Please Harvest Season keep in mind variations across the province and talk to local Cold Storage (E.g. Root cellars) gardeners for growing and harvesting tips unique to your area. Preserved (Canned, Dried, Frozen, This list also includes some Fermented, etc.) commonly harvested wild plants Unavailable, try indoor gardening such as berries and mushrooms that instead. could also be cultivated.
Month Type of Produce J F M A M J J A S O N D Anise Apples Artichokes Asparagus Bakeapple (Cloudberry) Basil Bay Beans- green Beans- shell Beets (incl. greens) Blackberry Blueberries Borage Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Carrots Celery Chamomile
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Month Type of Produce J F M A M J J A S O N D Cherries- Sour Chevril Chard Chives Collard Greens Coriander (Cilantro) Corn Cranberries Crowberry Cucumber Currants Dandelion Greens Dill Endive Garlic (incl. scapes) Gooseberries Green Onion Honey Jerusalem Artichoke Kale Kohlrabi Lavender Leeks Lettuce Mints Nasturtiums Nettles Onions Oregano Parsley
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Month Type of Produce J F M A M J J A S O N D Parsnips Partridgeberries Peas Peppers Plums Potatoes Radish/ Daikon Raspberries Rhubarb Rose hips Rosemary Rutabagas Sage Salad Greens Saskatoon Berries Savoury Sorrel Spinach Strawberries Tarragon Thyme Tomatoes Turnips Wild Mushrooms Winter Squash Yarrow (tea) Zucchini- Flowers Zucchini
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Planting 1. Container Gardening 1.1. Preparation
Facilitation
It is recommended that there be one facilitator (or assisting volunteer) to every five participants attending this workshop. Multiple facilitators are able to divide the presentation content, which makes the workshop more manageable to host and more interesting for participants. Volunteers and facilitators can organize participants into smaller groups of five or less during the hands-on Fish bin container garden activity to make facilitation easier and give participants more attention. Materials
1 copy of the FSN E-News Sign-up Sheet (page 84) Evaluation forms photocopied for every participant, volunteer, and facilitator (see Evaluation Form, page 78) Agenda – either one copy to post or several to hand out to participants (see Sample Agenda, page 77) Photocopies of the Resources sheet (page 83) and Choosing Containers and Plants (page 80) for each participant Pens or pencils White board or chart paper (optional) Markers (optional) Materials for chosen activities (see Activities, page 66) Name tags for participants and facilitators
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Location
This workshop can be done indoors or outdoors. If indoors, be prepared to clean up some mess and consider putting down newspaper or plastic to protect work surfaces during activities. If outdoors, try to choose a covered area out of the wind and with comfortable seating for all participants. Participants
This workshop is recommended for a maximum of 15 participants. Review the Activities section (page 66) and choose participant numbers based on availability of materials for everyone to participate in the chosen activities. Keep in mind that a large group of participants leads to a longer workshop so that everyone is allowed time for participation. Timeline
This workshop has been created to fill a 2 hour time period, without breaks. A sample agenda is provided in the Supplementary Materials section (page 77). Once you begin organizing the content and activities of your choice, you may find that more or less time is needed and the Note: Digging In agenda can be altered to suit those needs. The information in this section Safety can be shared through a traditional presentation, but Refer to Appendix G: Garden Safety (page participants may enjoy 33) for tips on running gardening activities themselves more if creative safely. techniques are used. Consider Refer to Appendix H: Food Safety (page 35) organizing games, discussions, if you plan on serving food during the small group interaction, workshop. demonstrations, or displays to convey the information. There Content are lots of lists in the workshop and rather than reading them, Carefully review all materials in advance of try to brainstorm ideas first with the workshop. Decide on the appropriate the group. If the required number of participants and equipment is on-site, showing facilitators/volunteers to invite to your videos or photo slideshows can workshop after considering all materials. also be great. Links to several This workshop has six main sections. Refer to videos are in the Resources section (page 83). How to Use the Workshops (page 11) for a description of each section.
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From the Digging In section (page 48), choose what information you want to present based on participants’ experience and interests, timeline, and available materials. If you are following the agenda included here, Digging In has been allotted 45 minutes to complete. Keep that in mind when choosing your content to ensure that the information you want to cover will fit into your schedule.
Digging In provides introductory-style information on container gardening. To go into more depth on the topic, refer to the Bibliography (page 75) and Resources (page 83) pages for more sources to check out.
The Activities section (page 66) offers three options for hands-on, interactive activities that you can organize for your group. Participants really enjoy these activities so try to leave lots of time for going through them. This is the part of the workshop where participants are able to learn in a hands-on way, and the activities will really help them engage with the topic. Read activities over carefully prior to the workshop, choose which you want to do, and then assemble any necessary materials. To save on costs you could also ask participants to bring in some materials themselves such as items that are readily available in people’s homes.
It’s up to you when in the agenda to put the activities. In our Sample agenda (page 77) they are at the end but activities can be used:
At the beginning to get people excited about the workshop and motivated to learn more Throughout the workshop for demonstration At the end of the workshop as a tool for pulling everything together In more than one place during the workshop; do several activities
During the Conclusion (page 74) participants can ask questions and the facilitator should refer back to any unaddressed information from the list created at the beginning of the workshop of what participants want to learn. During this time the evaluations should be filled in and participants will each be given a resources sheet to take home.
Container lettuce
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1.2. Workshop
Introduction
(10 minutes)
Step 1: Introduce yourself to participants. You may want to provide a bit of background on your experience with container gardening. Remember, you do not need to be an expert to host these workshops. If you are new to the topic, that is alright. Everyone will learn more together throughout the workshop.
Step 2: Introduce any local groups that are hosting the workshop:
Give their names and briefly describe what they do Explain why they think it is important to promote food skills and why they chose the topic of container gardening
You can also take this opportunity to promote the group’s upcoming events, contact information, volunteer opportunities, or other information that may be of interest to participants. Representatives of the group in attendance at the workshop may wish to do this introduction themselves.
Step 3: Read or put into your own words the following, to introduce participants to FSN and Root Cellars Rock:
Read to the Group
The materials for this workshop were created by The Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador (FSN) through its Root Cellars Rock project. FSN is a provincial organization that promotes comprehensive, community-based solutions to increase access to healthy food for all. To learn more about FSN visit www.foodsecuritynews.com.
Today’s workshop is one of eight that have been created based on the 4Ps of local food: planting, picking, preparing and preserving. These workshops aim to build food skills and create a space to share traditional food knowledge. To learn more about all eight workshops visit www.rootcellarsrock.ca.
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Step 4: Pass the FSN E-News Sign-up Sheet (page 84) around for participants to sign-up. The FSN E- Quick Tip News is a monthly email packed with resources related to food security across Newfoundland Let participants know if and Labrador. they can jump in at any time with questions and Step 5: Review the agenda for the workshop with discussion items or if they participants. Either post it on the wall or hand out should save those for a photocopies to the group. You can find a specific time during the Sample Agenda (page 77) in the supplementary agenda. Decide which materials. option works for you based Step 6: Go over any logistics that will make the on your comfort with workshop experience comfortable for everyone, improvising while speaking such as: publicly and redirecting focus back to the agenda washroom locations items as needed. food and drink availability safety rules weather precautions, if outdoors breaks
Roots of Our Local Food
(10 minutes)
Step 1: Let participants know that you are going to share a short passage with them and then read the Roots of our Local Food Quote in the box on the following page (page 48).
Step 2: Going around the group, ask participants to share the following:
1. Their names 2. Did anything stand out to them from the passage? 3. What do they want to learn today about container gardening?
Step 3: As participants say what they want to learn, write those down on a piece of chart paper or on a white board for the group to see. At the end of the workshop the list can be revisited and any remaining questions unanswered can be addressed and further resources provided so that participants can continue to search out information.
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Roots of Our Local Food Quote
This excerpt is from an article titled ‘All Hands Be Together: Newfoundland Gardening’ by John Omohundro and it gives us a glimpse into gardening traditions of Newfoundland & Labrador:
“The gardening season began in April when Bess and some of her neighbours started cabbage seedlings in pots on their window sills. The sacks of potatoes saved for seed were brought into the house from the root cellar in May and allowed to sprout before being cut into chunks, one eye apiece. As soon as the ground thaws in late May or early June the planting begins. Planting and trenching potatoes usually involves a crowd of workers of both genders and all ages, sometimes representing several related families which share the harvest. Men and women perform identical tasks in potato gardens, while women usually set the “small seed” for cabbage and other vegetables in their kitchen gardens behind the house. Kitchen gardens may also contain beet, carrot, onion and rhubarb or a currant bush- any fruit or vegetable the housewife needs to protect or cultivate frequently…Later, riding to the garden with Bess in her pick-up truck, I asked her why she bothered to set a garden now that all her boys are grown and life is much easier. (She replied) ‘Garden work is easy to do if all hands go at it together. You just make up your mind to get the work done and it goes fast.’”
Digging In
(45 minutes)
Present the information you have chosen to use from this section. This is the main content on how to container garden. Share the information in your own words and in the style that you think is best suited for your group. You do not need to cover everything here; pick and choose based on what you think is most useful for the participants of your particular workshop. Refer to the Resources section (page 83) for links to videos or photos that you could show along with your presentation and to gather more in-depth information on any aspect of the topic.
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Be creative in how you present this information! Split the content up amongst several facilitators to avoid one person needing to speak for an extended length of time. Consider hosting learning activities like small group discussions, games, displays, or demonstrations. Use the lists in the workshops as starting off points for group brainstorming or discussion. What is Container Gardening?
Container gardening is the activity of growing plants in any shape or size of container, rather than growing them directly in the ground. For this workshop we are focusing on growing edible plants in containers.
Container gardens can include everything from a few pots on your windowsill to huge landscaped Potato raised bed gardens in public parks. Once you grow a plant in a container, you can consider yourself a container gardener! Reasons to Grow Edible Plants in Containers
Convenience: Container gardens can be located right near your kitchen to make harvesting ingredients and maintaining the plants easier. Ability to grow food in small spaces: Containers make it possible to grow food where a traditional garden would not work, like on paved areas, balconies, patios, or indoors. They are ideal for areas where in-ground gardening is not possible, like where there is low quality or contaminated soil, because new healthy soil is used to fill containers. Accessibility: Containers can be raised or hung up to suit any height and they can be as big or small as you want. That makes them ideal for use by children and people who have difficulty bending down or reaching. Mobility: Containers are useful in Newfoundland and Labrador’s climate because they can be placed to get the most sunshine possible, be protected from wind or storms, and be brought indoors to avoid frost. Simple time management: Container gardens are generally small scale and easily accessible, making them simpler to keep an eye on and maintain. They can be designed to suit a gardener’s skill level and time commitment. Extending the growing season: Plants can be started early in containers indoors or in a greenhouse, well before the ground thaws, and then
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hardened off. Hardening off means growing plants indoors and then gradually exposing them to the colder temperatures outdoors once weather permits. Container plants can also be brought back indoors or into a greenhouse in the fall to continue growing without threat of frost. Both of these practices allow for a few more weeks of growing food in the spring and fall, which is called season extension. For more information on container gardening indoors, refer to this resource from University of Vermont Extension www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/articles/bringin.html Less weeds and pests: Containers act as a barrier between weeds and pests and your plants and soil. Occasional weeding and some simple pest control should keep container gardens mostly weed and pest free. Creating beautiful spaces: Container gardens look nice and make a space feel more alive and vibrant. Place several containers in an area along with seating to create an enjoyable place to relax. Fun and health: Gardening is fun! It also promotes physical activity, spending time outdoors, and connection with nature. Growing your own food can also improve your access to fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables. Connection with our food and heritage: Gardening helps us gain a better understanding of how the food we eat ends up on our tables and how our food system works. Growing food is also a big part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s heritage and can help us reconnect with our cultural roots and the generations before us who lived off the land and sea.
You’re Going to Plant in What?!
If you keep a few simple characteristics of successful and safe gardening containers in mind, you can choose anything from decorative store-bought pots to free re-used milk crates. The options are endless for containers to grow food in!
Consider size, material, drainage and A variety of containers weight when choosing containers:
Size Roots will grow surprisingly well inside a container and can run out of room. It is a common mistake to choose containers that are too small and that limit the growth of plants. Larger containers allow room for root growth, retain water better, and protect plants from overheating. Refer to the chart Choosing
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Containers and Plants (page 80) in the supplementary materials to find out how much room plants need.
Here are some tips for choosing the right sized container:
Bigger containers are better, as long as they have good drainage. Choose containers that are both wide enough and deep enough and avoid tall, narrow containers that are unstable or restrict roots. For plants that require stakes or trellis, be sure that the containers are sturdy enough to support those or use nearby fences and railings as support. Refer to seed packet instructions or ask your plant retailer to find out the ideal size of container for your plants. When you put more than one kind of plant in a container together, be sure to give each the space they need. Kettle nasturtiums Container Material Plants can be grown in containers made of almost any material, from rubber boots to wooden raised beds. You have likely seen plants growing out of sidewalks and on the side of buildings, showing just how resilient they can be. But if you are planning to grow food, be sure that whatever container you choose is made of materials that are safe for food to come in contact with and will not break down over time, releasing toxins.
Avoid using:
pressure treated, painted, or stained wood plastics that will degrade over time like water and pop bottles containers that may have held toxic chemicals like cleaning products or paint
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If you are in doubt but still want to use a particular container because it looks good, consider planting into a safe container like a flower pot, and then placing the flower pot inside the larger decorative container.
To protect roots, do not choose a container that is transparent. Here in Newfoundland and Labrador it is a good idea to choose a dark-coloured container that will attract warmth. However, keep in mind that some plants have roots that are sensitive to overheating, like mustard greens, lettuces, spinach, and beets. Some of the best materials are: Note: Hanging Untreated wood, particularly cedar (To protect a wooden Baskets container over time give the Hanging baskets are an exception exterior a quick coating of to the rule that all containers need linseed oil with a paintbrush at lots of drainage. Because they are the start of each growing season. exposed to more wind they tend to Linseed oil is available at most dry out very quickly, so instead of gardening or hardware stores facilitating drainage it can be and is made from flax seeds. Be better to help hanging baskets sure to read instructions and hang onto water. Choose hanging warnings on the linseed oil before baskets that have a built-in water using it.) tray on the bottom or create a Food-grade plastic (e.g. milk water reservoir layer yourself by crates, wine or salt beef buckets, placing a shallow plastic plate, pie fish bins, and ice cream tubs) plate, or plastic bag flat into the bottom of the container before Clay (choose unfinished clay pots adding soil. That surface will help for better airflow or glazed clay retain a bit more water for the soil to pots for better water retention) absorb slowly. Hanging baskets still Food-grade fabrics like potato or require drainage holes, though, to rice sacs for bag gardens allow excess water to escape. Baskets made of wire or wood Choose a soil for your hanging and lined with coconut fibre, basket that retains water well. several layers of burlap, or peat
Drainage All containers need drainage in order to maintain plant and soil health. Drainage holes allow excess water to leave the bottom of the container (during a heavy rain or after overwatering), rather than sitting inside the container causing roots to smother or rot. Choose a container that already has drainage holes in the bottom or use a hammer and nail or a drill to add holes. Adding several drainage holes is a good idea.
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Consider lining the bottom of containers with one of these materials to create an added layer that assists drainage:
a layer of mixed peat or perlite about ¾ inch thick bunched up layers of fabric, like burlap or cotton a fine screen or mesh a few flat stones layered over one another reused packing material like styrofoam popcorn
Those methods create barriers that let water through but keep soil in your container. When you use any of those methods, keep in mind that you may need to choose a bigger container so that your plant still has access to enough soil. If you plan to move your container around, choose lighter materials like perlite or styrofoam popcorn and avoid using rocks.
Weight If containers are going to be placed in one location and never moved, then weight is not a big issue and heavy containers can be used, such as stone pots, wooden and brick raised beds, reused boats or bathtubs. But if you want to be able to move plants then choose lightweight containers or put wheels on heavy containers and place them on a flat surface. Some examples of lightweight containers are plastic pots, wire baskets lined with peat, and milk crates. Keep in mind that most of the weight of filled containers comes from the soil. Do not use more soil than the plants need if you want to keep containers lightweight.
Possible Containers: Try brainstorming this list of possible containers Note: your group and see what they come up with. Fill in the blanks with any container ideas they have Containers forgotten. Remember that 1) the window boxes container needs to hold hanging baskets adequate soil for your barrels and half barrels plants, 2) the container’s material should be food clay or plastic pots safe or the container buckets should have a food safe milk crates liner, and 3) containers fish bins must have drainage holes tires (with a food safe liner) in the bottom. storage bins recycling boxes
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rice or potato sacs kitchen containers like pots, jugs and kettles deep bowls old bathtubs or sinks (rust free) food and beverage containers like ice cream tubs or salt beef buckets wire or wooden baskets lined with burlap, coconut fibre, or peat raised beds made from wood, concrete blocks or rocks small boats, aluminum or wood (with a food safe liner) reusable shopping bags made of fabric or vinyl sand boxes (with a food safe liner) kiddie pools (with a food safe liner) drawers removed from dressers (untreated wood, not chipboard which will rot over time, or use a food safe liner)
Recipes for Soil
Regular backyard soil is not recommended for containers. It is often too heavy, too acidic, dries out too quickly, does not allow for proper drainage or air flow, and is lacking in adequate nutrients to sustain container plants over time. There are a few options out there for container mediums that will work well instead: Compost Container (Potting) Soil Mixes: Many stores retail bags of commercial container soil mix, or potting mix, that have been shipped into the province. Some local garden centres also make their own container mix that they have put together locally. The locally made mixes may have been tailored to Newfoundland and Labrador growing conditions. Either way, pre-mixed container soil is a great choice, especially for a new gardener ready to get started. Be sure the mix you choose has either compost or a food-safe slow release fertilizer in it so that plants have access to enough nutrients.
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Do-It-Yourself Soil Mix: You can also create your own container mix at Note: home which will be more affordable than purchasing a pre-made mix. Some of the Compost common ingredients you can include in Even if you plan to garden homemade container mixes are perlite, on a very small scale, vermiculite, peat, compost, sand (not from a salt- creating compost at water beach), leaf mold, or composted wood home to use in your shavings. Create your own mix based on what containers is an excellent you have readily available and can afford. The idea, and if you end up best plan is to give composting a try and make with more than you can your own nutritious compost, leaf mold, or use then fellow gardeners decomposed wood shavings to use in a or community gardens will container soil mixture. always be happy to have Here are descriptions of a few of the ingredients some. Adding compost is in container mixes: an organic way to feed your plants and it is Perlite is tiny pieces of volcanic glass that have especially recommended expanded and puffed out after being heated. It for safely growing edible is extremely lightweight and looks like tiny bundles plants like vegetables, of spheres. It opens up little air spaces in the soil fruits, and herbs. You can that help plant roots to get enough oxygen. mix compost into your container soil when Vermiculite is a mineral that is mined from the potting plants. For more ground. When it is heated up it puffs up and looks information on how to like tiny worms, which is where the ‘vermi’ or compost refer to the worm part of its name comes from. Vermiculite is Composting Workshop. used for many different home and industrial purposes, and in your container soil it helps to retain water and create air spaces.
Peat is partially decomposed moss or sedge plant matter that is usually harvested from bogs or swampy areas. In your garden soil, it helps to absorb moisture and nutrients so that they are available to plant roots.
Peat, vermiculite, and perlite can all be purchased in small bags at garden centres. All three lack enough nutrients to sustain plants on their own so it is important to add a third nutritious element when filling your container. Here are a few recipes for homemade container mix:
1 part perlite or sand (sterile sand from a garden centre, not from a salt- water beach): 1 part peat and/or vermiculite: 1 part compost 1 part perlite or sand: 1 part peat and/or vermiculite: 1 part potting soil (not taken from your garden bed) and a food-safe slow release fertilizer
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Soil-less Mixes: Some gardeners prefer to buy commercial soil-less mixes which are made up of almost all peat, vermiculite, and perlite. They are light-weight and great at absorbing water and fertilizer while still maintaining air flow. If using a soil-less mix be sure to buy one that includes a food-safe fertilizer or amend it with your own compost or with food-safe fertilizer. Otherwise, plants will not have enough nutrients. Also be cautious of using soil-less mixes in hanging baskets or containers exposed to a lot of wind or rain because the mix will tend to blow away or leach out over time. Planting
Many plants do very well in containers. As with all gardening, choose plants that are likely to succeed in Newfoundland and Labrador’s climate. Read the descriptions on seed packets and plant tags and talk to seed and garden retailers to find plants that mature quickly, are cold-hardy, tolerate heavy moisture, and are okay with shade or limited sun. In terms of size, choose plants that suit your containers and refer to Choosing Containers and Plants (page 80) for more information on container size and a list of plants that thrive in containers. Keep an eye out for varieties labeled ‘dwarf’, ‘baby’, ‘miniature’, ‘patio’, ‘toy’, or ‘bush’, which are all more compact. With the growing popularity of container gardening, you may even find plants and seeds specifically labeled as container varieties.
When you see a nice container garden around town, ask those gardeners what plants they use. Most gardeners are happy to share their tips and if you choose varieties that others have tested in your area, then you will have a better chance of success. You may even want to consider saving seed from successful plants or trading seed with neighbourhood gardeners. For more information on seed saving, refer Herbs in milk crates to the Seed Saving Workshop.
Herbs as well as salad and cooking greens are great plants to start with because they thrive in our climate and in containers. Herbs and greens can be harvested
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regularly and will continue to flourish, which makes them ideal for keeping a constant supply of fresh food going from your container garden to your kitchen. Refer to the workshops on Using Culinary Herbs and Preparing Local Vegetables for tips on how to use them once harvested.
Be sure to plant seeds and seedlings according to the instructions on seed packets and seedling labels. Many containers are portable and can be planted before last frost in protected areas like greenhouses, cold frames, or in your home, and then moved outdoors when weather permits. Seed packet instructions should provide information for both how to start plants indoors and how to direct seed them outdoors.
Note: Plant Height
Keep plant height in mind when designing your containers by following these general tips:
Stand-alone containers: note the directions that the sun will hit your container from throughout the day and plant so that shorter plants receive enough sun without being shaded by taller ones. If you notice that plants are being shaded, try rotating the container. Hanging baskets: put the tallest plants in the centre and then shorter plants around the perimeter of the basket so that as the basket turns in the breeze all plants get access to light Window boxes: plant your tallest plants against the window and then successively shorter plants the closer you get to the front edge of the window box. Choose plants that will grow big enough to be attractively visible from inside the window but will not block the view. Containers backed onto a wall: plant your tallest plants against the wall and then successively shorter plants the closer you get to the front edge of the container.
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Follow the spacing instructions that come with your seeds or seedlings to ensure they have enough room on all sides to flourish. Instructions generally describe row planting but that is not always the most efficient use of container space. Consider more unique designs for spacing plants in containers.
In containers you can plant creatively in circles, spirals, and other patterns. Using some containers it is possible to plant on the sides as well as the top, such as with sacs, milk crates and hanging baskets. You can plant so that colours or foliage are complimentary to make the container garden look nicer.
Try planting several varieties of the same type of plant together. For example, create a mint container with a few different kinds of mint, a mixed greens container with several varieties of salad greens together, or an edible flower container with nasturtiums and pansies. Try planting theme containers, like a salsa garden with tomatoes, green onions and cilantro together. The options are endless when it comes to creatively designing your containers.
You may also want to choose trailing plants like vine tomatoes, trailing edible flowers, or trailing herbs to plant at the front or around the perimeter of your container to cascade over the sides. That technique makes containers appear lusher and lets you squeeze in a few extra plants for food production. If you plan to use tall plants like climbing beans or sunflowers, incorporate a trellis or posts into your container design as well to provide stability.
Location, Location, Location
A good location will make a huge difference when growing food in containers. Keep the following factors in mind when choosing where to place your plants.
Accessibility: Placing containers close to your kitchen in easy-access places will make it more likely that you will harvest and use what you grow. Containers on a balcony Visibility: Put containers where they are visible, so that every time you see them you get a reminder to care for them.
Enjoyment: Put containers in a place where you like to be such as on your front porch, balcony or patio. Placing beautiful containers around where you relax and play means that you can enjoy them even when you are not actively gardening.
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Light: Choose spots for your containers where they will get the most sunlight possible. Keep in mind when choosing your plants which ones like a lot of sunlight and which need shade, and arrange the containers accordingly.
Drip Lines: Place containers away from the drip lines of houses, sheds and other buildings. Containers directly under drip lines are in danger of being overwatered on rainy days. Roofs and paint may also leach unhealthy run-off onto edible plants.
Wind: Newfoundland and Labrador is no stranger to strong winds, and those winds can be harmful to fragile plants. Place containers in sheltered areas. In places with no sheltered areas, choose sturdy containers that are less vulnerable and avoid hanging baskets or tall unstable containers.
Note: Wind
Tips to protect plants from wind:
Grow tall plants up sturdy trellis or fencing to act as a wind barrier protecting smaller plants below. Cover plants on windy days with well-secured row cover fabric or a cloche. Use containers that are portable and can be moved to safer locations during a storm. Plant bushes or small trees in large containers and arrange them as a wind break to protect more vulnerable small containers. Create a wind barrier using fabric, garden art, garden furniture or fencing.
Precautions
Ideally people will admire your plants and no one is going to vandalize or steal them, but unfortunately those things have happened so you may want to place containers away from high traffic public areas. This will also stop passers-by from harvesting from your delicious-looking plants.
Another precaution to take is placing containers safely. Do not place containers where they could fall and break or injure someone. When securing containers to buildings use rust-resistant screws that are long enough to go through siding and
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right into the building’s framing. Consider also using L brackets for additional support. Hanging baskets that cannot rotate all the way around are more likely to break or fall in windy weather. When attaching hanging baskets use a sturdy hook that rotates 360° or, if the hook is fixed, use a sturdy chain to attach the planter to the hook. Ensure the chain will provide enough flexibility to allow the basket to rotate. Avoid tall, wobbly containers or very lightweight containers that may blow away in the wind.
Place containers where they are easy to access but where they will not be a hazard or impede regular activities in the space, such as children playing. Keep it Growing
Watering With the weather we get in Newfoundland and Labrador, we may not think of watering as always being an issue, but containers dry out much faster than in- ground gardens and should be checked and watered often. Every day or two in the summer check on your containers. Insert a finger into the soil up to the second knuckle and then pull it out. If it comes out dry, then water. If it comes out damp, wait and check again the next day. If your container has a dish to catch extra water underneath, be sure to pour off that extra water a few minutes after watering so that your plants do not continue to sit in it.
Plants prefer non-chlorinated water, so if you are watering with tap water then fill a jug or watering can, leave the lid off, and let it sit for a day or two to allow the chlorine to evaporate off. Keep refilling several jugs and store them so that you will always have one ready when you need to water. If you plan to store jugs of water outdoors, put a small piece of screen or cheesecloth over the opening so that insects cannot get into your water.
Rather than using tap water, if you have enough space you can set up a rain barrel. Rain barrels collect water from the down spouts of buildings during rainfall. They have a number of benefits: 1) they help reduce the use of tap or well water, 2) they provide a ready source of non-chlorinated water for gardens, lawns and outdoor cleaning, 3) they work well with drip irrigation systems, and 4) they are Green Team with rain barrel inexpensive and easy to make. For information on how to make your own rain barrel, refer to this post from Root Cellars Rock: http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2011/08/diy-rain-barrels/
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Note: Overwatering
Sometimes container plants may seem limp and dried out even though you have been watering them. The actual problem may be overwatering. When container plants are overwatered their roots cannot get enough oxygen and are smothered. As a result they are unable to soak up water even in moist soil. Continuing to water may worsen the damage.
To check for this do the finger test described above and if the soil is moist but the plant looks dried out then you may have overwatered before. Give the roots a few days to dry out and recover and then check the soil again before re-watering. Also consider adding more perlite or sand to your soil the next time you start a new container to make little air pockets in the soil.
If your soil has become too waterlogged to dry out and the plant is dying, then you can re-pot the plant into new dry container mix; be very gentle with the roots as you do so. In future, you may want to choose containers with better drainage.
Should your containers dry out faster than you can water them, or if you plan on going away for a few days during the growing season, then you can try these tricks to keep plants watered:
Water soil well and then cover the soil around the plants with a layer of mulch such as dry leaves, wood chips, or dry grass clippings. The mulch will help soil retain water for longer by slowing its evaporation. Each time you water, push the mulch to the side, water, and then re-cover the soil with the mulch. In the bottom of a larger water-tight container, pour a layer of perlite about an inch deep. Place your smaller container that has drainage holes inside the larger container. Fill the larger container up to the level of the perlite with water. The soil will wick that water upward as it needs it over time. Be careful leaving a system like this outdoors during heavy rain though because without drainage in the larger container it could fill with too much water and drown the plant’s roots.
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Make your own self-watering containers. These usually involve a reservoir of water created in the bottom of the container, with a tube or pipe that leads up to the surface where water is poured in. Soil wicks water up from the bottom as needed over time. To find out how to make a self-watering container, refer to this link from the Halifax Garden Network with step-by- step instructions: http://halifaxgardennetwork.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/do-it-yourself- watering-container/ Set up a drip irrigation system for your container plants. These use water very efficiently by passing water through a pipe or tube directly into the soil of plants. Drip irrigation systems can be purchased at garden centres or made at home. Refer to this resource from the University of Colorado Extension for more information: www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/04702.html
Nutrients Many people get their container garden set up and wonder why it does not thrive even though they have picked a good container, filled it with appropriate soil, and water it regularly. Often, plants are not receiving adequate nutrition to let them flourish. Nutrients are one of the key factors in growing healthy plants and something that new gardeners often forget. Perlite To avoid this problem make sure when you start your garden that your container soil mix includes compost or food-safe time release fertilizer. Afterwards use soluble fertilizer in water containers occasionally after they are planted. Soluble fertilizers are concentrated materials that are mixed with or dissolved into water to dilute them before they are applied to plants. In general, apply soluble fertilizer to leafy vegetables like chard and lettuce every two weeks, to fruiting plants every three weeks from the time that their first fruits appear, and to herbs once a month (with the exception of basil and parsley which can receive fertilizer every two weeks).
There are a few very beneficial types of organic soluble fertilizer that will provide lots of nutrients. For example, a ‘tea’ can be made with compost or manure and used to water plants by following these steps: (1) take a small sac like a pudding bag, loose leaf tea bag, or a little bag made of cheesecloth and fill it with either finished compost or aged manure, (2) let it sit for a few days in a full watering can to steep, (3) water the compost or manure tea onto the soil in your
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container. Be sure that the compost or manure that you use are properly finished or aged before application. Unfinished compost and fresh manure can contain organisms or pathogens that are harmful to plants and humans. Refer to this resource from the University of Colorado Extension for more information on soil amendments and safely aging compost and manure: www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07235.html
Another option is fish emulsion, which is the concentrated liquid fish left over from processes that create fish oil or fish meal. When diluted in water and applied to the soil, fish emulsion is very beneficial to plants. Follow label instructions so that you dilute it properly with water.
You can make compost at home for compost tea, or look for compost, manure, and fish emulsion soluble fertilizers at your local garden centre and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Purchase them in small quantities to start because a little goes a long way when container gardening! For more information on composting, Fish emulsion refer to the Composting workshop.
Although not organic, food-safe synthetic fertilizers can also be used to promote plant growth. Use them cautiously, following label instructions carefully. For use on edible plants, only buy fertilizers that are food-safe, such as ones advertised specifically for vegetable gardens. Fertilizers are labeled with three numbers which represent their percentage ratio of nitrogen to phosphorous to potassium. For example a 20-8-20 fertilizer has 20% nitrogen, 8% phosphorous, and 20% potassium in it, with the remaining 52% being filler. Speak with your local garden center to find out which synthetic fertilizer is food safe and appropriate for your particular plants and container mix. When watering with a soluble fertilizer, try to avoid direct contact with plants because this can burn the leaves and fruit, instead aim to water directly onto the soil. For information on safety when using fertilizers refer to Appendix G: Garden Safety (page 33).
Dead Heading & Pruning Leaving dead pieces on your plants can invite pests, fungus, or mold. Every time you water, also check for dead pieces to remove. Gently pull dead pieces off the plant with your hands or use scissors or garden shears to cleanly cut those pieces off. The parts you cut off that are not diseased and have not gone to seed can be added to your compost pile.
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With most food plants there is one part of the plant that is valued above others for its edible qualities. For example, carrots are prized for their roots and herbs for their leaves. If you are cultivating the roots or leaves of a plant, then snip off any flowers or seeds that show up so that the plant will put its energy into growing its roots and leaves. If you are cultivating a plant for its fruit, such as tomatoes, prune off any ‘sucker’ stems that start shooting out from the base of the major stem so that Cabbages in fish boxes the plant will focus its energy towards its fruit rather than shoots.
Plants that are being eaten for their leaves like herbs and greens can be harvested often. Harvesting leaves regularly will prompt the plant to keep producing more leaves and the plant will become leafier. Harvest mature leaves and leaves close to the ground before they fall, rot, and attract pests.
Weeds and Pests Here are a few tricks to prevent weeds and pests from overtaking your garden. Not all these tricks will work for everyone, so experiment!
Use a growing medium or soil that is designed for containers and is guaranteed weed-free (sterile), rather than taking soil from the ground. When making your compost, avoid putting in weed plants that have gone to seed or trimmings from plants that are diseased. When neighbourhood animals might be a problem keep containers (a) raised off the ground on tables or stands, (b) away from fence lines, railings, or trees that animals can walk on and jump off of, and (c) in areas where people walk through often. Animals are usually scared off easily so try putting up things that make noise (chimes or cans on strings), reflect or shine light (CDs hanging from strings or motion sensor lights) or blow in the wind (shredded plastic bags or scarecrows) to frighten them. Save hair from your own hairbrush and your house pets and scatter it around the garden to mark the area and keep other animals away. Do not place containers under trees that are known to have insect pests, such as spanworms, living on them. Deadhead plants regularly because pests are attracted to decomposing plant matter.
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Protect plants from slugs with a cold frame, row cover or a cloche. If that doesn’t work, try using dishes of beer or slug bait to lure and kill them. If you are using landscape fabric or row cover, be sure to keep it tight and trimmed so that it doesn’t create an easy bridge for slugs to climb into your garden. Among your other vegetables, plant pest-deterring edible plants such as mint, chives, basil, coriander, parsley, garlic, nasturtiums, leeks, and thyme. Marigolds aren’t edible, but they are another great pest deterring plant and they will beautify your garden too. For more information on companion planting herbs to deter pests refer to: www.n8ture.com/herbalcompanion.html Grow an abundance of plants. If a few plants are damaged by pests, then there will still be lots left over and if all of the plants grow successfully, then you will have extra produce to share. Keep plants healthy and maintain them properly so that they flourish. Pests are less attracted to healthy plants. For more helpful tips when protecting your garden from pests, refer to this post from Root Cellars Rock: http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2011/05 /gardener-know-thine-enemy/
Various containers in a greenhouse
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Activities
(40 minutes) Painting and Planting an Herb Pot
This activity is appropriate year-round as herbs can be grown in containers indoors during cold months or outdoors in the spring and summer.
Materials medium-sized unglazed clay pots with drainage holes in the bottom – one per participant (Dollar stores are an affordable place to find these, especially in the spring and summer, or you can ask participants to bring these in with them to the workshop to save on costs. Or instead, reuse large yogurt or similar sized containers instead of pots.) water-based acrylic craft paints in a variety of colours (NOTE: acrylic paints Plants in pots are difficult to wash out of clothing so ask participants to wear old shirts or provide aprons or garbage bags to tuck into shirt collars to protect clothes) a few small plates (to pour and mix paints on) paint brushes sponges, stamps, stencils, glitter, etc. (optional) pencils scrap paper herb seeds or seedlings- enough for each participant to grow 1-2 plants (recommended herbs: mints, chives, basil, parsley, sorrel) bags of container mix soil (judge how many bags you will need depending on the number of participants attending) large freezer bags
Step 1: Before the workshop measure enough soil to fill a pot, one per participant, into freezer bags and seal them up.
Step 2: Lay down newspaper or garbage bags to protect work surfaces from paint.
Step 3: Distribute the pots, paints, brushes, etc. to the group.
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Step 4: Tell the group that the pot they are painting today is the first of many that they will hopefully grow food in as a new container gardener. Suggest that they paint words and pictures that will inspire them to garden and will remind them of what they learned today about caring for their container garden. Let them know that this herb pot can be kept indoors in their kitchen to grow or can be grown outdoors as weather permits. Once it is growing, regular harvesting to add herbs to healthy meals will help the plant to flourish. Remind them to trim off any flowers or seeds that appear so that the plant will continue to put energy into leaf growth, the part of the herb that we usually eat.
Step 5: Take about 25 minutes to paint the pots. Pencils and scrap paper can be provided for people to trace out designs on the pots or to practice what they will draw on paper first.
Step 6: When the pots are completed, give each participant a freezer bag of soil and herb seedling(s) or seeds to take home and plant once the paint on their pot has dried.
Step 7: If distributing seedlings (which is preferable to seeds because they are most likely to succeed for first-time gardeners), let participants know to plant their seedling as soon as possible, covering roots gently with soil and then watering lightly right after planting. If distributing seeds that have been divided up from a package amongst participants, be sure to read aloud the package’s seed starting instructions or distribute a copy of those to each participant so that they know how to properly start their seeds.
Step 8: Remind participants that to care for their new herb plant(s) they should:
Place the pot in a sunny, sheltered spot Water regularly but avoid overwatering. When starting a new seed or seedling keep the soil uniformly moist for the first few weeks. Once the plant is established, let it dry out a bit before watering again. Don’t let herb plants sit in a tray of water or their roots may rot. Once the plant has several leaves and is maturing, feed the soil with a soluble fertilizer once a month, being careful to water directly onto the soil and not onto the plant Keep an eye out for any pests on the plant. Should you find them, refer to this fact sheet from Colorado State University Extension for ways to deter them: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05595.html Harvest often and enjoy!
Step 9: Tidy up the workspace with the help of participants.
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Planting Fall Garlic
This activity is appropriate for a fall workshop. However, substituting another kind of seed or seedling for garlic could allow for a similar activity to take place during other times of the year. For a good video resource, refer to the demonstration Growing Garlic, linked in the Planting section of the Root Cellars Rock YouTube at http://youtu.be/xe7rCL6dbsY
Materials Hanging garlic several garlic bulbs, organic
garlic is preferable, with enough cloves in total that each participant receives one large clove (Seed garlic bulbs can be purchased from garden centres, local farmers or sometimes at grocery stores that have a floral/garden department. See Step 7 for information on the differences between softneck and hardneck garlic and choose the kind you prefer.) clean plastic ice cream tubs, salt beef buckets or similar sized containers (about a minimum of 6” deep and 6” diameter), one per participant (you can ask participants to bring these in with them to save on collecting time). It is helpful to have a variety of containers available to demonstrate the possible diversity. a hammer a few nails lids from the ice cream tubs (or reused lids from yogurt or similar kitchen containers) a few pairs of scissors permanent markers bags of container mix soil (judge how many bags you will need depending on the # of participants attending) several scoops or hand shovels for distributing soil (clean margarine containers work well) full watering can or other container of water Step 1: Lay down newspaper or garbage bags to protect work surfaces from soil and water.
Step 2: Give each participant a container.
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Step 3: Give the lids and scissors to a few participants and ask them to cut the lids into large triangles, like cutting a pizza into slices. These will become the tags that participants use to label their garlic and each participant needs one.
Step 4: Give each participant a label made from the lids and distribute the markers to the group. Participants can write the type of garlic (if known) and Tapping drainage holes planting date on their labels. For fun, participants may also want to give their garlic a name or write other things on the label, like “harvest me in the fall!”
Step 5: Passing the hammer and nails around the group, have each participant gently tap 4 drainage holes into the bottom of their container.
Step 6: Using the scoops, get each participant to fill their containers to about 1/2 inch below the lip of the container.
Step 7: Explain to participants that garlic is made up of several cloves that are joined together at the bottom to form a bulb. From the base of the bulb roots grow out and from the top of the bulb a stem grows upward. Garlic varieties can be either softneck or hardneck. Softneck garlic has a number of leaves growing out of the base of the plant. Hardneck garlic has a stiff, tall, stem with leaves growing off of it. Hardneck garlic stems eventually grow a scape, or flower stalk, which will loop around and then form bulbils. Garlic scapes are also edible and are a great ingredient for pesto and sauces. They should be cut off so that the plant will put more energy into growing the garlic bulb. Most grocery store garlic is softneck and will not produce a scape. Garlic is planted in the autumn because the cold weather outdoors creates a chemical reaction inside a garlic clove that causes it to split into many cloves, becoming a new garlic bulb.
Step 8: Demonstrating to the group, gently peel the outer layers of skin off the garlic bulb. Separate out all the garlic cloves, carefully removing them from the base of the bulb. This is called ‘cracking’ the bulb.
Step 9: Distribute a clove of garlic to Planting garlic
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each participant. The larger outside cloves are preferable to smaller interior cloves on the bulb, so perhaps save those smaller cloves for cooking and only use the big ones here. Discard cloves that show any signs of rot or softness. Keep any cloves that have already started to sprout for cooking because you want yours to sprout in the spring rather than the fall.
Step 10: With the pointed end of your clove (where the stem will grow from) pointing upward and the flatter end of your clove (where the roots will grow from) facing downward, demonstrate to participants that they should gently press their garlic cloves into the soil about 1 1/2 inch deep and then cover them over lightly with soil.
Step 11: Let participants know that to Finished container garlic care for their new garlic plant they should:
Place their container outdoors in a sunny, sheltered spot. Cover the soil with mulch, such as dried leaves, to protect the soil from frequent freezing and thawing. Keep the soil slightly moist during the fall but never soaked as overwatering will cause rot. Don’t worry about watering the garlic during the winter and don’t worry if the container gets covered in snow as long as it drains out properly in the springtime. After the final frost in the spring start feeding the garlic with a soluble fertilizer about every two weeks Look for a green stem growing above the soil in the spring. Cut scapes off of hardneck garlic once the scape has looped once. These are edible! Harvest your softneck garlic bulb once the stem has grown tall and begins to fall over. Harvest hardneck garlic once 2-3 of the bottom leaves have yellowed. Gently pull the whole plant from the soil and shake all the dirt off of it. Let the garlic dry out (cure) for 2-3 weeks by letting it sit in a well- ventilated area that is out of the sunlight. Leave stem and roots still attached while curing the garlic. Trim off the roots and stem and then eat your garlic!
Step 12: Clean up with the help of participants
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Edible Flower Garden
This workshop is appropriate for the spring or summer time. Because this workshop requires larger amounts of soil and three seedlings per participant, it may be helpful to charge a small fee or to do fundraising in advance to cover costs. Refer to Appendix J: Grant Opportunities (page 38) as a resource. Nasturtium flowers in salad To help you identify nasturtium seedlings at your local farm or garden centre, speak with their staff or refer to this resource: www.thegardeningblog.co.za/plants/directory/annuals/nasturtium/
Choose nasturtium seedlings that have not been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides that would make them unsafe to eat. Let farm or garden centre staff know that you plan to eat the nasturtiums and ask their advice on which plants are food safe. Be sure to wash nasturtium flowers before they are eaten, as you should with any produce. For information on safe food handling refer to Appendix H: Food Safety (page 35) or to Health Canada’s Safe Food Handling in the Home website: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/kitchen- cuisine/interact/home-maison-eng.php
If you have time in advance of the workshop then you could purchase less expensive nasturtium seeds and grow seedlings yourself for the workshop. Refer to this resource on starting nasturtium seeds for tips on how to do so: www.sunriseseeds.com/Nasturtium%20Seed%20Info.0.html
Materials medium-sized clean containers such as clay or plastic pots, salt beef buckets, ice cream tubs, or large coffee cans, one per participant (you can ask participants to bring these in with them to the workshop to save on costs) 2-3 nasturtium seedlings per participant, different colours or varieties a few extra seedlings of nasturtiums with flowers for taste testing a few pairs of scissors bags of container mix soil (judge how many bags you will need depending on the # of participants attending) a bag of perlite
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several scoops or hand shovels for distributing soil (clean margarine containers work well) a hammer a few nails full watering can or other container of water
Step 1: Prior to the workshop use scissors to snip off a few of the nasturtium flowers from the extra seedlings you have set aside for taste testing. Wash those gently in clean, running water to remove any soil or residue. Set them aside, flowers facing upward, in a food-safe container with a bit of cold water Safety Note: in the bottom and covered over with plastic wrap. To avoid the flowers wilting, place the Eating Flowers container in a refrigerator until needed. Flowers should not be Step 2: Lay down newspaper or garbage bags to eaten when they have protect work surfaces from soil and water. been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides Step 3: Give each participant a container. that are not food-safe. For Step 4: Explain to participants that nasturtiums are that reason it is not a type of edible flower that grows well in recommended that Newfoundland and Labrador. They can be anyone eat flowers that classified as a culinary herb although most of us were grown for will recognize them from ornamental flower beds. commercial cut flower Many gardeners plant them for their ability to arrangements or flowers attract pests away from other garden plants. growing in a garden Other examples of edible flowers are certain where the spraying varieties of pansies, dandelions, and the flowers practices are unknown. that grow on squash and zucchini. However, growing your own edible flowers is a Nasturtiums taste slightly peppery and their very inexpensive way to texture is almost silky. Growing a container of make food more beautiful edible flowers amidst your other containers of and exciting. Imagine vegetables and herbs is a way to brighten up the attending a dinner party garden and get creative with your food. with a cake covered in brightly coloured Step 5: Ask participants to wash their hands and nasturtiums or serving your then pass the sample nasturtium flowers around kids a salad with flowers the group for participants to pluck off petals to on top; it’s sure to be a hit! taste. Ask participants to describe their reactions to the flavour and texture of the nasturtiums.
Step 6: Passing the hammer and nails around the
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group, have each participant gently tap 4 drainage holes into the bottom of their container.
Step 7: Using the scoops, distribute perlite to each participant, enough to fill the bottom of their containers to about 1cm high. The perlite is added in the bottom to create a drainage layer that will allow water to escape but will keep soil in.
Step 8: Using the scoops, distribute soil to each participant, enough to fill their containers up to about 1cm below the lip of the container.
Step 9: Demonstrate to participants how to dig out a small hole in the soil of the newly filled containers, just slightly bigger than the root ball of the nasturtium seedlings. Do this in three spots in your container, being careful to leave at least an inch between the holes you dig and the sides of the container.
Step 10: Demonstrate to participants how to carefully cut a line down the side of the plastic or peat cell pack holding the nasturtium seedling in order to provide access to its root ball. Then gently remove a seedling from its pack by taking it out by the root ball, rather than pulling on the stem.
Step 11: Demonstrate to participants how to carefully place the root ball of the seedling into one of the holes that you dug and then cover it over lightly with soil, pressing down slightly on either side of the stem with your fingers to ensure that the plant is stable in its new soil.
Step 12: Give participants time to follow steps 6-11 themselves for all three of their nasturtium seedlings until everyone has their edible flower garden planted.
Step 13: Pass around the watering can and have everyone lightly water their new seedlings, being careful not to soak them.
Step 14: Let participants know that to care for their new edible flower garden they should:
Place their container outdoors in a sunny, sheltered spot. Keep the soil slightly moist but never soaked, as overwatering will cause damage. Harvest and wash flowers as they mature and use them to garnish salads, baked goods, and other foods.
Step 15: Clean up with the help of participants. Scooping soil
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Conclusion
(15 minutes)
Some of these steps can also be completed during the activities if there is a lull in discussion.
Step 1: Ask participants to reiterate some of the reasons to container garden. See page 49 for a list of ideas.
Step 2: Read aloud the list of things Lettuces in fish box participants wanted to learn from the beginning of the workshop. Have you covered everything? If yes, congratulations! If not, that’s fine too because you will now hand out the Resources sheet (page 83) for participants to take home with links to websites and recommended books for further learning. You could also open any remaining questions up to the group and see if participants can answer the missed questions from their own experience.
Step 3: Hand out the evaluation sheet and pens and ask that participants all fill them in before leaving. Completed evaluation sheets should be photocopied after the workshop so that you can keep a record to guide future workshops that you host. Send originals, along with the completed FSN E-News sign-up sheet, back to FSN as soon as you are able. For instructions on how to do that see Evaluation and Follow-up (page 13).
Step 4: Thank participants for attending and close off the workshop.
We hope you enjoyed the Container Gardening Workshop!
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Bibliography
(2005). ‘What companion plants to use against pests’. Basic Info 4 Organic Fertilizers. http://www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com/companionplants.html. (accessed June 2011). (April 24, 2009). ‘How to Grow Garlic in Pots’. The Garden of Eaden. http://gardenofeaden.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-grow-garlic-in-pots.html. (accessed Oct. 2011). Bennett, J. (1982). The Harrowsmith Northern Gardener. Camden East (Ontario): Camden House, p. 147-153. Boundary Garlic Farm. Growing Garlic. http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing- garlic.htm. (accessed June 2011). Gehring, A. (Ed.). (2009). ‘Container Gardening’. Homesteading. China: Skyhorse Publishing. Demboski, K., Martin, J.C., Swanberg, A. (2001). Container Vegetable Gardening. Ohio State University: Ohio State University FactSheet Horticulture and Crop Science, Columbus. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1647.html. (accessed June 2011). Jauron, R., Nelson, D., Lenahan, J. (Illus.). (2005). Container Vegetable Gardening. Iowa State University: University Extension. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm870b.pdf. (accessed June 2011). (March 27, 2009). ‘What is overwatering and how to recognise it’. The Garden of Eaden. http://gardenofeaden.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-is-overwatering- and-how-to.html. (accessed June 2011). MUN Botanical Garden. (June 7, 2011) The Three B’s of Container Gardening: Boxes, Barrels and Baskets. A workshop hosted by Tim Walsh, Garden Nursery Manager. St. John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador). Omohundro, John T. (1995). ‘All Hands Be Together’: Newfoundland Gardening. Anthropologica, 37(2), p.156-157. Pleasant, Barbara. (December 2008/ January 2009). ‘How to Make Your Own Potting Soil’. Mother Earth News. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic- Gardening/How-To-Make-Your-Own-Potting-Soil.aspx Traverse, Ross. (2009). Ask Ross Traverse About Gardening: Practical Advice for Gardeners in a Cool Climate. Torbay (Newfoundland and Labrador): Traverse Gardens Consulting Ltd. Wikipedia. (2011). Vermiculite. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermiculite
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Photo Credits
Page 43: Rachelle Batstone Page 45: Costa Kasimos Page 49: Maureen and Chris Peters Page 50: Andreae Callanan Page 51: Gail Temple Page 54: Katie Temple Page 56: Sarah Ferber Page 58: Costa Kasimos Page 60: Northeast Avalon Atlantic Coastal Action Program (NAACAP) Page 63: Food Security Network NL (FSN) Page 64: Tim Walsh Page 65: Laurie Leehane Page 66: Andreae Callanan Page 68: Rick Kelly Page 69: FSN Page 70: FSN Page 71: John Brown Page 73: FSN Page 74: Gail Temple
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1.3. Supplementary Materials
Sample Agenda
Workshop Agenda Container Gardening A Root Cellars Rock Food Skills Workshop
Date: Time: Facilitator: Location: Hosting Group(s):
1. Introduction (10 minutes) 2. Roots of Our Local Food (10 minutes) 3. Digging In (45 minutes) 4. Activity (40 minutes) 5. Conclusion (15 minutes)
www.rootcellarsrock.ca
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Evaluation Form
Return completed evaluation forms to: Food Security Network 44 Torbay Rd. Suite 110, St. John’s, NL A1A 2G4 Fax: 709.237.4231 Email: [email protected]
Please fill in this evaluation to the best of your ability. It will be kept private and used only by the FSN and today’s hosts to improve future workshops. Your name (optional): Date: Length of workshop: Time of day: Location (venue and town name): Facilitator(s):
Hosting group (s): Topic of workshop:
1. Today, I was a (check all that apply): [ ] participant [ ] facilitator [ ] volunteer [ ] representative of a hosting group [ ] other ______
2. I would like to attend future workshops on the following topics: [ ] food security [ ] using culinary herbs [ ] container gardening [ ] preparing local vegetables [ ] composting [ ] canning/bottling [ ] seed saving [ ] root cellars [ ] edible wild plants [ ] other:______3. How did you find the length of today’s workshop? [ ] The workshop took an appropriate amount of time. [ ] The workshop was too short. [ ] The workshop was too long.
4. Were the time and date of the workshop appropriate? [ ] Yes, it worked well with my schedule. [ ] No, I would prefer to attend workshops during these times instead: ______
5. Did you make any new contacts or learn of any new resources? [ ] Yes, I made new contacts but didn’t learn of new resources [ ] Yes, I learnt of new resources, but didn’t make new contacts
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[ ] Yes, I made new contacts and learnt of new resources [ ] No, I did not make new contacts or learn of new resources Comments:
6. Please rate the balance of presentation, discussion, and group activity at today’s workshop: (please circle all that apply) [ ] Good balance of presentation, discussion, and group activity [ ] Not enough group activity and discussion [ ] Too much presentation of material [ ] Other: ______Comments:
7. Please rank the hands-on workshop activity in helping you improve your understanding of the topic: Not helpful Somewhat helpful Very helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Comments:
8. Please rank your understanding of today’s topic before attending the workshop: Little Understanding Very Knowledgeable 1 2 3 4 5
9. Please rank your understanding of today’s topic after attending the workshop: Little Understanding Very Knowledgeable 1 2 3 4 5
10. What did you enjoy most about today, or what was the most interesting thing you learnt?
11. What could have been changed to improve today’s workshop?
12. Please share any additional comments or suggestions.
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Choosing Containers and Plants
These general guidelines for container size have been adapted from Jennifer Bennet’s book The Harrowsmith Northern Gardener.
Minimum Best plants for Container containers (# to Seeds or Survives Light needs Comments Size plant in that Transplants? light frost? (inches) space)
4” deep Rosemary (1) T Yes Some sun Will tolerate hot sun; move indoors 4” diameter to sunny window in winter
6” deep Basil (1) S or T No Some shade Can be seeded with other plants 6” diameter Bay (1) T Yes Some shade Forms a bush; overwinter indoors Cherry T No Some sun Stake plants Tomato(1) Cloves Yes Some shade Plant in late fall or early spring Garlic (1) T No Some sun Prefer well drained soil; overwinter Marjoram (1) indoors T Yes Some sun Prefer well drained soil; overwinter Oregano (1) indoors T Yes Some sun Bring indoors before heavy frost Sage (1) S or T Yes Some shade Choose slow bolting varieties Spinach (1) S or T No Some sun Can be seeded with other plants Summer Savoury (1)
6” deep Onions, chives, S or T Yes Some shade Can be interplanted Any scallions diameter
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Minimum Best plants for Container containers (# to Seeds or Survives Light needs Comments Size plant in that Transplants? light frost? (inches) space)
8” deep Beans, snap (3) S No Some sun Choose early maturing and bush 8” diameter varieties Kale (1) S or T Yes Some shade Will survive until soil freezes Lettuce (2 loose- S or T Yes Some shade Choose slow bolting varieties, loose- leaf or 1 head) leaf more space efficient; rich soil; well watered Swiss Chard (1) S or T Yes Some shade Prefers cool soil
12” deep Dill (2) S Yes Some sun Can be seeded in large pots with 6” diameter other plants
12” deep Cucumbers (1) S No Some sun Choose early maturing varieties; 8” diameter Bush varieties compact, other varieties produce more but need trellis; Hand pollinate
12” deep Parsley (2) S or T Yes Some shade Will survive one winter indoors 12” diameter before going to seed Peas (6) S Yes Some shade Pod and snap most space efficient; stake or trellis Peppers (1) T No Full sun Choose early maturing varieties; stake; overwinter indoors Tomatoes (1) T No Some sun Choose bush and early maturing; stake
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Minimum Best plants for Container containers (# to Seeds or Survives Light needs Comments Size plant in that Transplants? light frost? (inches) space)
Thin to 2-3” Beets S Yes Some shade Prefer cool weather, loose soil; apart, 6-12” edible leaves deep Carrots S Yes Some shade Prefer cool weather, loose soil; depending interplant with lettuce on variety Radishes S Yes Some shade Can be interplanted; re-sow in cool weather
24” deep Summer squash, S No Some sun Bush varieties compact but others 24” diameter like zucchini (1) can climb trellis and are more productive; Hand pollinate; Harvest often as fruit matures
Any Cress/ S Yes Some shade Matures in as little as 10 days; Microgreens/ prefers damp, cool soil; grows well Sprouts/ Baby outdoors or indoors; re-sow salad greens
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All content from this workshop is available at www.rootcellarsrock.ca/workshops Websites 15 Creative Container Garden Ideas (planet green) http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/ creative-container-garden-ideas.html 82 Sustainable Gardening Tips (Mother Earth News) www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ sustainable-gardening-zm0z11zsto.aspx Bringing Houseplants Indoors for the Winter (University of Vermont Extension) www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/articles/bringin.html Photo: Rachelle Batstone Choosing a Soil Amendment (Colorado State University Extension) www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07235.html Container Gardening for Food www.container-gardening-for-food.com/index.html DIY Rain Barrels (Root Cellars Rock) http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2011/08/diy-rain-barrels/ DIY Watering Container (Halifax Garden Network) http://halifaxgardennetwork.wordpress. com/2011/06/30/do-it-yourself-watering-container/ Drip Irrigation for Home Gardeners (Colorado State University Extension) www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/04702.html Photo: Sarah Ferber Managing Houseplant Pests (Colorado State University Extension) Books www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05595.html Ask Ross Traverse about Gardening by Ross Traverse Nasturtium (The Gardening Blog) www.thegardeningblog.co.za/plants/directory/annuals/ Food Not Lawns by H.C. Flores nasturtium/ Newfoundland Gardening by Nasturtium Seed (Sunrise Seeds) www.sunriseseeds.com/ Peter J. Scott Nasturtium%20Seed%20Info.0.html Videos Pests: Gardener, Know Thine Enemy! (Root Cellars Rock) Growing Garlic (FactoBrunt) http://rootcellarsrock.ca/2011/05/gardener-know-thine- http://youtu.be/xe7rCL6dbsY enemy/ Photos How to Maintain a Container Garden Slideshow (Treehugger) www.treehugger.com/ slideshows/green-food/how-to- maintain-a-container-garden/
Resource Sheet 1 out of 8
FSN E-News Sign-up Sheet
FSN E-News is a monthly update of events, news, opportunities, and resources in Food Security relevant for Newfoundland & Labrador.
To receive the next Food Security Network E-News, sign up below:
Name E-mail
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