MOSAIC Community Gardens Upcoming Workshops

Tuesday, April 12 6-7 PM at the 423 Garden location 
Mulch, No Till, Just Thrill Gardening – Learn how to use everyday household items such as newspaper or cardboard as mulch and the great benefits in doing so.
 
Tuesday, April 26 6-7 PM at the 615 Garden location
Breaking Down Composting Basics – Learn how to compost on a large and small scale and learn how to tell when the compost is ready to use.

Please reply to wash5000@msn.com if you are planning to attend either of the two absolutely-FREE workshops.  Bring the kids and other family members, you are sure to have a fun, informative time! 

Mosaic Gardens Call For Committee Members & Volunteers!‏

Happy Leap Year 2016!

With a very busy garden season ahead, Mosaic is going all out in its quest to recruit garden committee members and volunteers!  Meetings will be held once per month, beginning mid-March (day and time TBD).

Here’s what we have in store for the 2016 season and as a garden committee member/volunteer, here is what you can be a part of and the great part about it is that there is NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.  Our experienced committee members will provide you with the tools and knowledge needed to help others:

Mosaic is building its newest community garden at Barth Elementary School located on the west side of Pottstown – There will be approximately 20 additional garden beds available for families in the Pottstown area to learn, grow and enjoy more fresh produce at a fraction of the cost in local grocery stores!  There will also be several beds to be used as an educational tool for the students who attend the school!  We need your support in the following areas:

  • Disseminating information about the gardens to the families who live within walking distance of the school located at 467 West Walnut (late-March).  Information to include membership packet, construction timeline and committee contact information.
  • Assistance in recruiting volunteers (families, school students, churches and corporate volunteers) to lay top soil and mulch, assist with building a shed and to create the 20+ garden beds being built (early-April).
  • Speakers and organizers needed for information sessions, workshops and summer activities.  Information sessions will take place in April, workshops and summer activities will be scheduled throughout the entire growing season (May-October).

Mosaic’s two downtown community gardens and its permaculture garden will be up an running, providing more opportunities to educate and support families than ever – Our existing 50+ garden beds will be available to families again this year for planting more, learning more and enjoying more of the produce grown each year!  We are looking to provide families with support and additional education in order to become the great gardeners they dream of being! 

  • Assistance in recruiting volunteers (families, school students, churches and corporate volunteers) to lay top soil and/or mulch throughout the already established garden beds and perimeter beds (early-April).
  • Turn compost in order to sift out and lay the ready-to-use compost and to aerate other compost from last season at each of the three garden locations (late-April).
  • Speakers and organizers needed for information sessions, workshops and summer activities.  Information sessions will take place in April, workshops and summer activities will be scheduled throughout the entire growing season (May-October).
  • Produce Cart – We are in need of a few volunteers to run with our produce cart this summer!  Join  this fun activity happening several days throughout the growing season! The produce cart allows us to sell any garden surplus vegetables donated back to the gardens, to teach youth members how to build a business selling produce on a small scale and gives the garden an opportunity to provide area residents with information regarding their health and wellness.

There are plenty great opportunities available for all skill-sets and areas of interest!  Please consider joining our community garden committee or signing up for one or two of our much needed volunteer days!

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? – you ask?  A special gift pack is given to everyone who turns out to be an awesome facilitator, garden committee member or a volunteer event organizer this season! Check it out:

Each new garden committee member who attends 90% of our meetings during the growing season and signs up to support/organize at least two volunteer opportunities will receive a Mosaic Community Gardens T-shirt of their choice, a Mosaic Community Gardens apron, standard tote bag and a beautiful Mosaic mug along with a chance to win a free Mosaic CLT garden membership at the garden location of their choice for the 2017 growing season!

Each volunteer who organizes and rallies a troop of volunteers that provide support in the gardens for one day or more will receive a Mosaic t-shirt, the jumbo Mosaic Community Gardens Garden Ambassador tote bag and a Mosaic CLT car magnet along with a chance to win a free Mosaic CLT garden membership at the garden location of their choice for the 2017 growing season!

Each volunteer who facilitates one informational session or workshop will receive a Mosaic T-shirt and tote bag along with a chance to win a free Mosaic CLT garden membership at the garden location of their choice for the 2017 growing season!

Each person who assists/supports our summer programming for at least 6 of each 2-hour session during the growing season will receive a t-shirt, gardening apron, a JUMBO tote bag along with a chance to win a free Mosaic CLT garden membership at the garden location of their choice for the 2017 growing season!

Our need for additional committee members and volunteers has never been greater, the benefits and rewards have never been better!

Please sign up to support the “growth” of the Mosaic Community Land Trust Community Gardens today!

It’s EASY!  Simply reply to this email or visit our Facebook or website to sign up or to receive additional information regarding all of the opportunities TODAY!

See Ya’ at the Gardens,

MOSAIC CLT

Newark, N.J. To Get World’s Largest Indoor Vertical Farm

AeroFarms, an aeroponics company that was started in 2004, is bringing what is soon to be the world’s largest vertical farm to a former steel factory in Newark, New Jersey’s Ironbound community.

The vertical farm will manufacture short, leafy green vegetables grown in vertically stacked trays that will fill 69,000 square feet of the former Newark factory.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/home_and_design/Newark-NJ-to-get-worlds-largest-indoor-vertical-farm.html#6hOeyD2lDQ1rD9Rq.99

Suburban Life: County Farm Markets, Stands Offer Variety Of Gourds For Carving, Baking

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting York County

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting York County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fall is here, and that means its time to begin thinking about the season’s fruits, vegetables and decorations.

Fresh-picked apples are available from mid-August through mid-November. And while pears and watermelons should be around through the first part of October, you probably won’t find corn, beans and tomatoes after the middle of September.

Pumpkins and gourds are now out in full force, along with other fall decorations including Indian corn, hay bales, corn stalks and mums.

York County has a wealth of locally owned markets and stands where you can find fall fruits, vegetables and family activities.

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/community/ci_26583752/suburban-life-pumpkins-gourds

Pottstown Mini-Mart Approvals Raise Healthy Food Questions

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN — Earlier this month, two new food retail shops were approved by borough council.

During the conditional use hearings that preceded their approval, the usual menu of concerns were aired by neighbors — parking, hours of operation — but another was raised as well.

Questions were raised about the healthiness of the food the shops would serve.

The first business on which council heard testimony will be called Goldie’s Corner, located at 451 N. Charlotte St. in the space most recently occupied by the Milkman Lunch Co. before that shop moved to High Street.

Read more:   http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140418/pottstown-mini-mart-approvals-raise-healthy-food-questions

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Easton Urban Garden, Which Grew 1,400 Pounds Of Produce Last Year, Hopes For Funding Boost

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton C...

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A once-withering urban garden on Easton’s South Side grew hundreds of pounds of free produce for city residents last year.

The city hopes to build on its success by pursuing a $75,000 federal grant and then matching it with city funds to expand and improve the garden at the Easton Area Neighborhood Center.

The West Ward Neighborhood Partnershiptook over the troubled garden in 2012 and last year, volunteers helped harvest more than 1,400 pounds of vegetables that were donated to Easton residents.

Initial plans call for expanding the farmable land, installing new garden-themed playground equipment, improving the watering system and erecting a fence.

Read more: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf/2014/04/easton_urban_gardens_success_c.html

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