Young VIDA from the Hispanic Health Council have been helping plant carrot beds at Grow Hartford. The youth had a great time and worked real hard. Sweat and tears for Carrots.... Hooray for Carrots! -Damaris Cabrera, Youth Program Coordinator
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From Planning, to building to planting the seeds...Thank you for conrtibuting a lasting improvement to GROW Hartford! -Shannon
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"Today I learned about the importance of organic farming, about how to build healthy soil and how to support local farmers. But more importantly, I learned the importance of taking time to reconnect and understand the truly universal link for all living creatures....good, wholesome FOOD!" Laura Nigro, Bingham McCutchen Summer Associate
"Gardening is so therapeutic, what a treat it was to get out of the office and get dirty! We planted beans today, I hope the rain doesn't wash them away...thanks for everything Shannon!" Deb King, Recruiting Coordinator, Bingham McCutchen
The rains couldn't dampen our strawberry spirit this season....This year is our first harvest of our new strawberry patch. We planted them last spring and let them establish for a year. With 4 varities to compare we have been happily grazing the patches in between planting cucumbers, weeding and building beds. Volunteers from Community Partners in Action take a break for these little red treasures. The season is mostly over now...but we were able to share this seasonal treat with many volunteers and youth programs. The most common reaction from 5 year old
to adults was how much smaller they are from grocerystore strawberries and how much more flavorful!
Things are growing here at GROW...and not just the weeds and collards. With the help of two great groups, Youthbuild and the Hispanic Health Council's Young Vida youth program, have constructed 4 raised beds of varying materials: plastic lumber, black locust logs and old stumps...Dubbed the root beds, they will be a good place for us to grow beets, carrots, turnips and other root crops in loose crumbly compost. The soil in the garden has not yeilded consistent root crops due to its high clay and water logged tendencies.
Young Vida, who came up with several designs for the bed voted on the "Peace Garden' bed design and have already put carrot seeds the ground. Youthbuild, opted for a simple and practical design and planted straw flowers in one of the beds they built, Even though they tried to remind e they are carpenters and not gardeners...I think hope thgey didnt mund getting ther hands int he dirt!
Thanks for your hard work and helping to imporve the GROW Hartford garden.
- Shannon
The time I went to the garden I planted lettuce and strawberry’s it was very fun. My friends had fun to they liked it as much as I did. June 6 was the time we got to eat the lettuce and the strawberries the both things were very good the strawberries were sweet. I HOPE TO VISIT THE GARDEN ONCE MORE. I HAD FUN.
- Maria, 5th grade
Aetna Center for Families
