Monday, July 26, 2004


Checking out the Red Tailed Hawk Display at the nature center in Northwest Park, Windsor, CT. Posted by Hello

A different look

  July 23:   Today we went to Northwest Park in Windsor, CT. First we went on a hike and we took the trail near the rainbow reservoir. On our way to the trail we heard a lot of “nature calls”. We past this deserted looking barn that looked scary. Before we got to the end of the trail we had to hike solo and read these little notes Shannon left on the trail, one of the notes that I liked was the one that said something about my great great great grandmother didn’t use toilets to use the bathroom they used buckets. That was true.    After the hike we visited the animals in the barn and saw a horse, cow, sheep, goats, turkeys, chicken, a rooster, and some chicks. We also went to the Nature Center. It had a lot of stuffed animals like owls, a sea turtle, a turkey, and a red tail hawk. Which was one of our favorites because we have the same bird around our garden. There were live turtles and snakes like a Boa Constrictor and a black rat snake. (Daisy Huertas) 
On Wednesday we went to the Pope Park Recreation Center for a Summer Food party. GROW Hartford rocked out on the drums! Posted by Hello

Friday, July 23, 2004

hiking

Today I went hiking in Northwest Park in Windsor, I like hiking because I like walking by my self - Jonathan

Northwest Park 7/23/04

          Today our group went to Northwest Park in Windsor Connecticut. It is a beautiful park. We went on a nature hike around the park and explored what things we might not think of that effect us daily. I enjoyed the walk through the variety of trails. Today just seeing and being apart of the wilderness was exciting. At grow we are always trying to convince people to eat healthy and save the earth. Here at the park they to were trying to do the same. They were interesting facts that they posted for everybody to see. I would love to visit this place again with my family and friends. I loved the quietness and tree surroundings. (Jerica Sandiford)

Thursday's job and weeds

We harvested squash, tomatoes and cukes on Thursday.  We knew when the fruit was ready to be harvested when the flower on the squash & cukes were dying & when the tomatoes were hanging from the stem.  We remember when we grew all our crops especially the squash.  We cared for it with water, sun, fertilizer, fish fertilizer and compost.    We learned that weeds could take the flower’s food from the soil. We identify the non-smell daisy. Some facts that we learned about weeds are that weeds can destroy your garden.                                                          Rodney & Deshawn

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Gardening the Community gets a tour from a GROW team leader.  Posted by Hello

Gardening the Community visits from Springfield

Gardening the Community Visits This entry was written by a team leader in the Gardening the Community; (Urban Youth Gardening Program), a project of NOFA Massachusetts, during their visit on July 20, 2004.   This was our first time in Hartford. ("Our" meaning our gardening group.)  GROW Hartford land is very large, between an apartment building and a highway.  I've noticed they grow a large variety of crops that they take large pride in and find no shame in where they are. They used the urban waste to create an urban garden (very economic as far as having areas and things to use for growing plants- such as tires, crates, and bricks).  The contrast between the highway and the garden is as sharp of a contrast as black and white, but its a good contrast. The garden is the classroom and the highway is how they can spread the knowledge of urban agriculture across the state. -Jennifer C. Springfield, MA Gardening the Community

Making stir fry with our freshly harvested veggies! Posted by Hello

GROW Hartford's Saturday Farmers' Market with produce from the Holcomb Farm CSA. Posted by Hello

Saturday, July 17, 2004

String Beans and IT'S MY BIRTHDAY... YA'LL!!!!!

Saturday July17, 2004    Today, Precious, Rodney Theresa and I picked beans this morning. Picking beans can be very stressful so we made it into a game. We played “Bean Basketball” and shot the beans in to the bucket and we filled it up faster. Today we also had our “Farmers Market” and we are becoming very successful with are market because are food is good and people love that.  - Jazzmine    Thursday July 15, 2004     Today was my BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! (I turned 13!!!) For the fact that the “Grow Hartford” group wasn’t with me on my special day because they went to the New Haven Ecology project Center” I was very sad and I couldn’t go because I had summer school. They did make it up to me the next day though… With a mango cake!!!!!!! SO DELICIOUS   - Jazzmine 

Thursday, July 15, 2004

Visiting the New Haven Ecology Project

Today was a great day.  We went to New Haven to a farm called Common Ground Farm.  When we first got there we got a great tour around the farm about what kind of flowers that were edible to eat and were great and tasty.  Joe from the farm, the one that was giving the tour, was really nice and was very accurate and told us lots of facts and explained it very well.  They also provided us with lunch which was pasta salad with French dressing.  It was pretty good.  Throughout the day we were in the farm looking at their produce and, personally, I think it was cool.  The day went well.  On the long tour we saw chickens, goats, etc and drank lots of water. -Javier   Today GROW Hartford went to New Haven and did a lot of touring and we learned how to do different things. -Theresa

Compost Sifter

  In this picture we are putting compost in a wheel barrel and get in all the trash out of it so we could use it. We use compost so the plants could get nutrients and grow big strong. They use a sifter to get the trash out the compost and they have raised beds and also they have animals like pigs and chickens and wild turkey. - Theresa  Posted by Hello
"Three sisters" planting. Posted by Hello

The day at New Haven farm

To day Thursday  July 15,2004 we went to new haven we went on a tour and we had fun we looked at the animals and then we went to the flower garden. Donna tolled me lets see if the flower tastes good so I tried It. Do you know It was so nasty I  almost fainted then  it was time for lunch they made some for us. The noodles were good but I didn’t like the salad  but I thank them anyway. I had lots of fun And  I would like for there farm to come tour farm   Ps……  I know what you did last summer……ha, ha, ha, ha   By: Precious Hairston Posted by Hello

About the chickens at New Haven Ecology Project

Some ideas that I got from nhep is having animals in our farm. Some animals eat the bugs that destroy the crops in our garden. Also the scarecrows scare the crows and other animals. I think the things that are possible for our farm are to bring animals to our farm to prevent our crops from being destroyed  -Rodney Fernandez
Joe gives us a tour of the New Haven Ecology Project.   Posted by Hello
UGROW from Worcester visits GROW Hartford.   Posted by Hello

Tuesday, July 06, 2004


Sam, the farmer at the Holcomb Farm CSA, taught the crew how to set up a farmers market display during our visit. The crew practiced using fresh produce. Posted by Hello

This week we played a blind teambuilding game in the greenhouse. Posted by Hello

We get our compost from Ebony Horsewomen - a non-profit equestrian project located in Keney Park- right in the city! Posted by Hello

One of the teamleaders practices teaching a lesson on plant parts to the group. Posted by Hello

Full time summer

This week we shifted into full-time mode and still we've had to sacrifice some journaling time to keep up with the weeds. We did, however, manage to pack in our second trip to the Holcomb Farm CSA with the crew and six friends in tow. The lunch dunk at Salmon Brook was wildly successful as we all got to cool off after a morning of onion weeding. Until next week - here are a few more pictures of our adventures. -Laura

Soil in the onion bed

Well today wasn't really hard it was easy. But what made it easy is that the soil was so soft and rich. We had fun. We actually finished and it was hot and nice and I had fun for myself. I never had as much fun as this. I'll hope to see more days like this one. -Precious

Our first harvest of the season - summer squash! Posted by Hello

First harvest!

Explain in detail how you did a task today including the tools and materials. Today we did field work and directly seeded radishes, lettuce, and something else. We saw our first full grown squash. We painted signs and Precious and I watered the plants inside and outside the greenhouse and we refilled both of the water barrels. After lunch Jerica and I planned for our lesson for the K-2 and 1-6 graders. Then we had a lesson on leadership. I had a good time. -Daisy