Community CROPS December 2011 Newsletter
The year is drawing to a close and it is time for our last 2011 newsletter. We would like to thank all of our Community CROPS supporters for an exciting year - packed full of great fresh produce, unique events and great people who are behind it all. We look forward to working with you in the new year.
We wish you great holidays and a happy New Year.
Decorate your Wall with CROPS
The NEW 2012 Community CROPS Calendars are ready!They are full of beautiful photos of the community gardens and farm, gardening tips for every month and printed on 100% post-consumer waste paper! This wonderful calendar can be yours for just $9.95 (plus tax)!
Pick your calendar up at any one of the following businesses: Meadowlark Coffee, Maggie's Cafe, Earl May, Leon's, Oak Creek Flowers, Crescent Moon, Mo Java Coffee, Novel Idea, Indigo Bridge Books & The Mill. Calendars are also available on-line or at the Community CROPS office. Ordering Information
Explore Farming Class - FREE
Saturday, December 3, 10am - 12pm, Lancaster County ExtensionThis two hour seminar will help you think through the resources, skills, and time you will need to launch a successful farm. Local farmers and participants in the Growing Farmers Training Program will be on hand to answer questions. Information about and applications for the Winter Workshop Series will also be available. Participants should register in advance to reserve a spot. To register, send your name and phone number to warren@communitycrops.org or call Warren at (402) 474-9802. More information.
2012 Growing Farmers Workshop Application
The Community CROPS Growing Farmer Workshop series is entering its fourth year of training small-scale, beginning farmers to develop successful farm businesses.These workshops are tailored to individuals or families who have a desire to grow horticultural crops, such as vegetables, fruit, herbs or flowers, with an emphasis on sustainable and organic production techniques. Our workshops are equally balanced between business and production skills. If you want to start a small farm but focus on other products, such as livestock or grain, you can still register for the business skills workshops, and we can connect you with other training programs that focus on other farm products. Information and registration forms here.
Volunteers Recognized at the Harvest Celebration
Without the dedication of volunteers and work-shares, our season would not have been as fruitful or fun. We have been inspired by them. Community CROPS would like to thank all of our volunteers and partners for making 2011 such a wonderful year!- Judy Cherry: Best Administrative Volunteer, Most Reliable
- Karin and Fayth Perzinski: Most Dedicated Volunteers with the Youth Programs
- Marcie Young: Most Outstanding Leadership Award. For her leadership in establishing the garden advisory committee and for her contributions as a work trade volunteer at Southminster.
- Meghan Sullivan: Best Artistic Contribution
- Cindy Stuefer-Powell: Best Community Builder and Communicator
- Chris LaRosa: Dedicated to renewable resource sustainability in the gardens.
- Nebraska Global: A Great Business Volunteer
- Lindsay Graef: Youth Outreach / Artistic Contribution
- John Doran: Biggest Overall impact on CROPS of any single volunteer
- Eric Delaney: Creative Outreach Project, Best Ambassador / networker between CROPS and other organizations
- Cassie Trine: Versatility and general willingness to do anything we need help with
- Brent Schmoker and Lilly Blase: Best Site Coordinator and Work Trade team.
- Kelsey Lee: Most Self-Directed / Creative Outreach Project
- Jeff Epler: CROPS Computer Support
- Outstanding farm and CSA volunteers including Sue, Gina, Jeffrey, Schy, Jordan and Drew
Karen Urban Farm Project, A Sneak Peak for 2012
In October, we submitted a grant to the Left Tilt Fund in California for a pilot urban farm project. Over 110 Karen refugees (an ethnic group from Burma and Thailand) have been resettled in Lincoln in the past three years. They mostly come from agricultural backgrounds. However, their resources are extremely limited; they have little transportation, and they have a hard time acclimating to urban America. Giving them access to farm land is one way to ease their transition, but transportation issues prevent them from participating at Sunset.Fortunately, Southern Heights Presbyterian Church has a large plot of land next to their church, and they started a community garden there last year. The land is on a bus route that runs directly from the community where the Karen live. There is space for two quarter-acre plots, and the church is excited about the possibility of starting an urban farm. Depending on grant funding and church involvement, we plan to start in either 2012 or 2013. More details are to come next year!
Khoudeida in the News
The Nebraska Mosaic website launched a story about Khoudeida Saadoon, a Community CROPS farmer: http://cojmc.unl.edu/mosaic/2011/10/12/community-garden-first-year-farmer-finds-reminder-iraq/What Soil Means in My World Video
Overall Winner "2011 SSSA What Soil Means in My World Video Contest." by Elizabeth Sarno, UNL Extension, Organic Farmer, and CROPS Board Member http://youtu.be/qajjl3esi5E A short video that everyone should watch about the importance of soil.CSA Thank Yous
We finished the season well. Thank you to our members completed the end-of-season survey and expressing interest in next years season. Warren is working hard on some changes with the CSA box format. Instead of boxes, Community CROPS will set up a market-style booth where members can pick up their share. In 2011, we purchased one third of the CSA vegetables from other farmers. This coming year, we plan to purchase half of our vegetables from other farmers participating in the beginning farmer program.First Fridays in Community Gardens
Fancy some garden art? Keep your eye out for local artists' sculptures in the Lincoln Community Gardens. This year we had art in the United Lutheran Garden for the November and December First Friday Art Walks. Join Community CROPS as we unveil more garden art at the First Friday Art Walks. More information will be available next year!One of the biggest perks of working in a community garden is that even though few vegetables make it past the first hard November freeze, a neighborhood network of gardeners can keep growing right on through the winter. Last month, for example, volunteer Eric Delaney helped connect Community CROPS staff with Julia Noyes, owner of the Noyes Art Gallery downtown. The result: one amazing new sculpture has been installed at the United Lutheran Church garden courtesy of artist Mike Fluent, and two more are on the way for the 14th and Hudson and 46th and Pioneers gardens! CROPS can provide infrastructure and resources, but grassroots projects like Eric's are what build real community gardens. Keep an eye out for more growing projects in your neighborhood this “off-season” and, as always, call us up with ideas of your own!
Turn Your Family Holiday into a Charitable One!
As the giving holiday approaches keep Community CROPS in mind as a nonprofit to support with your charitable giving. Generous gifts from community members and organizations allow limited income families, kids, and individuals to share in the rich bounty of urban agriculture.Over the past eight years, Community CROPS has enabled hundreds of Lincoln residents in need to grow their own food. In 2011 alone, the network of 15 community gardens has assisted nearly 700 residents in producing their own produce. Nearly half of the garden participants received financial assistance in the program to help them grow good food on a plot this year. Last year, Community CROPS provided gardening financial assistance valued at over $12,000 to low income families.
Using our gardens as a classroom, Community CROPS annually gives 40 classes to Lincoln residents to learn how to grow and cook the locally-grown produce. Community CROPS has been receiving continued requests for gardeners and land opportunities. There is a growing demand for CROPS' programing, and your gift will help CROPS meet the needs of the Lincoln community. Thank you for your support of Community CROPS and helping us GROW!
Here are examples of how your gift will help the Lincoln community and families served by Community CROPS:
- A gift of $1,000: covers all the costs for the Beginning Farmers Farm Program's winter workshop series for one participant.
- A gift of $500: enables us to provide tools for a new garden site and staff and volunteer support for one year.
- A gift of $250: funds the seeds for one growing season for the Garden program.
- A gift of $100: helps provide supplies for classroom horticulture partnership lessons with Lincoln Public Schools.
- A gift of $50: helps sponsor a gardeners plot with financial assistance for one person.
- A gift of $25: covers the cost of testing one garden site for fertility to ensure healthy soil and healthy crops.
