Sharing the garden love!
Gardeners at the Sustainability Academy in Burlington.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

 ,

As spring approaches, we invite you to join your neighbors for events and activities connected to growing food. The theme for this season's Grow It workshops is "Growing Community," with workshops at sites all over the state.

Read on to learn about many more ways to go far and make difference, together. 
~ Jess Hyman, Executive Director
  Fast link to: 
VCGN NEWS - EVENTS - RESOURCES FOR GARDENS

As the growing season approaches, we need your help now more than ever to bring high-quality food and garden education to children and adults all over the state. Thank you for making a donation today! 
   
COMPOST FOOD SCRAPS AT YOUR GARDEN
Is your community garden interested in recycling garden residuals on-site and producing your own compost? Are your gardeners or neighbors looking for ways to divert food scraps and yard trimmings from the landfill, as required under Vermont's Universal Recycling Law, Act 148?  Community-scale composting can help you manage these materials as a local resource. VCGN, Composting Association of Vermont, and New England Grassroots Environment Fund are partnering on a new pilot project: Food Scrap Composting at Community Gardens.. Your garden may be eligible to be a pilot site. The application deadline is March 15. Learn more here.

And you can join the broader discussion about organics recycling at the April 6 Vermont Organics Recycling Summit at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center. More info and registration here.
events
Events
BRICK CHURCH MUSIC SERIES: VCGN Benefit  
8 Cuerdas and Gavirias & Andreas   
Friday, March 10, 7pm (doors open at 6pm)
Old Brick Church in Williston Village
We're excited to partner once again with the Brick Church for a lively show featuring 8 Cuerdas (8 Strings), the guitar and voice duo of 5th generation Vermonter Sarah Cullins and Colombian guitarist Daniel Gaviria. The couple combine their classical training and experience with a love of traditional Latin American and Spanish rhythms and folklore for lively performances that juxtapose impossibly soft lullabies with high-powered zarzuela arias. The opening act is Gavirias & Andreas, the visual artist is Williston photographer John Sharpless and VCGN will provide delightful intermission refreshments. Tickets are $12/$10 in advance or $14/$12 at the door.

7th ANNUAL BURLINGTON SEED SWAP 
Saturday, March 11, noon-3pm
Fletcher Free Library, Burlington 
This free community event celebrates the upcoming gardening season and brings gardeners together to share seeds, garden stories, and resources. Bring your own non-GMO seeds to share and exchange. The swap starts at noon, and there will be workshops on Seed Saving with Mara Welton of Half Pint Farm & Slow Food Vermont (11:30am), Growing Food in Small Spaces with Julie Rubaud of Red Wagon Plants (2:30pm), and Indigenous Vermont Agriculture with Fred Wiseman (1pm). Seed starting activities for kids run all afternoon with Green Mountain Compost, Friends of the Fletcher Free Library will be on hand with info about the tool lending program as well as a great selection of gardening books for sale, and Slow Food Vermont will have heirloom seeds and be taking pre-orders for Ark of Taste veggie starts. The Swap is presented by Vermont Community Garden Network in partnership with the Fletcher Free Library, Burlington Parks Recreation & Waterfront, and Green Mountain Compost. Donations appreciated to benefit the Community Teaching Garden scholarship fund.  Join the Facebook event.
 
SAVE THE DATES:
  • Community Night for VCGN: Wednesday, April 19 at Bluebird Barbecue in Burlington
  • Day in the Dirt: Saturday, April 29

  • Dirt Ball Karaoke Contest: Friday, May 5 at Skinny Pancake

  • Spring Plant & Burlap Bag Sale:  Saturday, May 20 at Ace Hardware in Burlington

  • Sweet Potato Slip Sale: June 10-11 at Red Wagon Plants, Hinesburg

     

    Click here for more events! 
BRICK CHURCH MUSIC SERIES: VCGN Benefit  
8 Cuerdas and Gavirias & Andreas   
Friday, March 10, 7pm (doors open at 6pm)
Old Brick Church in Williston Village
We're excited to partner once again with the Brick Church for a lively show featuring 8 Cuerdas (8 Strings), the guitar and voice duo of 5th generation Vermonter Sarah Cullins and Colombian guitarist Daniel Gaviria. The couple combine their classical training and experience with a love of traditional Latin American and Spanish rhythms and folklore for lively performances that juxtapose impossibly soft lullabies with high-powered zarzuela arias. The opening act is Gavirias & Andreas, the visual artist is Williston photographer John Sharpless and VCGN will provide delightful intermission refreshments. Tickets are $12/$10 in advance or $14/$12 at the door.

7th ANNUAL BURLINGTON SEED SWAP 
Saturday, March 11, noon-3pm
Fletcher Free Library, Burlington 
This free community event celebrates the upcoming gardening season and brings gardeners together to share seeds, garden stories, and resources. Bring your own non-GMO seeds to share and exchange. The swap starts at noon, and there will be FREE WORKSHOPS on Seed Saving with Mara Welton of Half Pint Farm & Slow Food Vermont (11:30am), Indigenous Vermont Agriculture with Fred Wiseman (1pm), and Growing Food in Small Spaces with Julie Rubaud of Red Wagon Plants (2:30pm),. Seed starting activities for kids run all afternoon with Green Mountain Compost, Friends of the Fletcher Free Library will be on hand with info about the tool lending program as well as a great selection of gardening books for sale, and Slow Food Vermont will have heirloom seeds and be taking pre-orders for Ark of Taste veggie starts. The Swap is presented by Vermont Community Garden Network in partnership with the Fletcher Free Library, Burlington Parks Recreation & Waterfront, and Green Mountain Compost. Donations appreciated to benefit the Community Teaching Garden scholarship fund.  Join the Facebook event.
 
SAVE THE DATES:
  • Community Night for VCGN: Wednesday, April 19 at Bluebird Barbecue in Burlington
  • Day in the Dirt: Saturday, April 29
    • Community & School Gardens host work days.
    • Businesses sponsor a local garden and bring an employee volunteer team.
    • Individuals and Families help out at a local site.
  • Dirt Ball Karaoke Contest: Friday, May 5 at Skinny Pancake
  • Spring Plant & Burlap Bag Sale:  Saturday, May 20 at Ace Hardware in Burlington
  • Sweet Potato Slip Sale: June 10-11 at Red Wagon Plants, Hinesburg
    Click here for more events! 
gardensResources for Garden Groups
Brandon Gardeners Conserve Biodiversity, Build Community and Share Resources 

 
The Brandon Seed Library uses the library's old card catalog cabinet, its original purpose outdated in the digital age. 
By Claire Londagin
VCGN Network Outreach Assistant
 
In 2014, avid gardener and librarian at the Brandon Free Public Library, Molly Kennedy heard a story on NPR about seed libraries. As a child, Kennedy worked with her grandfather at his farm and has been gardening ever since. The concept of a community space to save and share seed prompted her to start one in her community. The Brandon Seed Library now has more than 50 members and holds several seed saving and gardening events in the spring and fall. The library has connected with educational institutions in the area. Elementary school teachers in Pittsford taught students seed saving principals through the school garden, and donated the saved seed to the Brandon Seed Library. 

Click here to read the full story and check out a list of seed libraries around the state.

Claire Londigan is VCGN's Network Outreach Assistant. She is a senior completing her last semester in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production program at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont. Read more about Claire on our team page.
 
 
GROWING COMMUNITY: March Workshops
Join community and school garden leaders from your region for these Grow It workshops focused on growing community. Learn strategies to boost your programs, share stories and ideas, and connect with others in the field. All workshops take place 4-7pm and include a light meal. Sign up today to reserve your space! 
TOOLSHED TIP: Fundraising Tools for Your Garden 
How are you going to fund your garden projects this season? What can you do to think past the same old fundraising strategies of years gone by? Click here for a list of ideas, resources, and funding opportunities. 
 
FEATURED PARTNER: VT Edible Landscapes
Vermont Edible Landscapes is a land planning business focused on the development of agro-ecosystems. Meghan Giroux and her team design, install and establish ecologically regenerative landscapes. They approach land management through an agrarian lens utilizing a variety of diverse biological disciplines. VEL provides site evaluation, planning and development and is a key VCGN partner for site development and the Edible Landscaping & Community Gardening Toolkit for Affordable Housing Communities.

Thanks for Your Support!
The Vermont Community Garden Network is growing a healthier Vermont by helping people of all ages access the space and resources to grow their own food and connect with each other. We need your help now more than ever! Please make a donation today to will grow more gardens, gardeners, and garden leaders. Thank you.
Since 2001, the Vermont Community Garden Network (formerly known as Friends of Burlington Gardens) has worked with hundreds of community and school groups to start, sustain, and grow gardens, building strong local food systems and vibrant educational sites.    
Contact us - we'd love to hear from you!

 Jess Hyman , Executive Director
Libby Weiland, Statewide Network Coordinator 
Carolina Lukac, Garden Education Manager
Trish Laraja, Business Manager
Jennifer Fuller, Office Administrator
Lily Myers, Wild For Pollinators Intern
Sabina Parker, Network Development Intern 
802-861-4769 |  info@vcgn.org | www.vcgn.org

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