Mosaic Community Gardens Are THRIVING!‏

teacher-lauraPOTTSTOWN, PA – This Saturday (August 22), Mosaic will roll out its produce stand…offering up some of the season’s best vegetables!  Tomatoes, potatoes, squash, pepper (sweet and hot), eggplant and sweet potatoes will be offered from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.  We will have other surprise offerings for sale on the stand that afternoon.  Please plan to pay us a visit before running your errands or buying from a big chain superstore!

That said, we need donations from gardeners…if you have more produce than you can pick (or eat) please let us know.  We will gladly accept your donations to sell on our produce cart this Saturday!  We will be at the gardens throughout Friday afternoon harvesting for weekend sales.  Please email me if you would like to donate vegetables (grown at your home or the community gardens) to a worthy cause!

In partnership with National Penn Bank and Genesis Housing, Mosaic is set to host another Movie Night at the Chestnut Street Park! KOOKOO the Cartoon Magician will begin the event with a magic show at 7:30 PM that day!  We have a great night planned and EVERYONE is invited!

Mosaic’s Summer Enrichment Program ended with a bang!

80 students ranging from 5-17 years old attended camp and learned more about gardening, nutrition, arts/culture, music and physical activity as each relates to different regions of the world.  In each weekly program, we chose age-appropriate instruction in African-American, Latin, Native American and Caribbean cultures.  The children retained more information from week to week using this well-rounded approach to learning.  They formed “families” and made delicious meals together, played musical instruments some had never seen or played before, harvested items from the gardens that related to the week’s teaching and made instruments specific to each culture using recycled materials.

The summer program ended with an appreciation ice cream social at the high school to celebrate their volunteer efforts at each of the gardens and the local park, and a field trip to the Althouse Arboretum for the younger students was provided…the campers went on an hour-long trail walk/scavenger hunt while learning the reason why arboretums exist.  Some of the students said that having an arboretum in our own back yards is super-cool!

It was a great summer, thanks to all those who volunteered during the program!  A special thanks to our partners and supporters, ArtFusion, Olivet’s Boys and Girls Club, STRIVE Initiative, the Pottstown Athletic Club, Genesis Housing and Penn National Bank!

Mosaic is looking to celebrate the fall season by hosting a fall cleanup potluck social at the gardens!  We will be looking for families to come out, clean up and prepare our gardens for the winter season.  Create your best potluck recipe for this special event! “Bee” on the look-out for more information in an upcoming email…coming in September!

Pottstown’s Mosaic Community Garden To Open Produce And Information Stand

cropped-20130727_104625.jpgWe are happy to announce the opening day of our Produce and Information Stand!

The children of our youth program and several volunteers had a hand in tending the earth and growing veggies.  Earlier this summer, they diligently worked to build the stand to bring the “fruits of their labor” to your table!!

On September 7th the kids and volunteers will staff the Produce Stand to sell fresh produce, herbs, local peaches and other healthy goodies, each Saturday morning from 9:30 AM – 12 noon, through September 28th, 2013.

In addition, we will have information regarding organic gardening and other resources to find out more about our local CSAs and organic grocery stores.  Lastly, the public can learn more about what they can do to ensure every family has access to healthier food options in our area.

Look for the Produce and Information Stand in front of the gardens at 423 Chestnut Street in Pottstown, (you canʼt miss us)!!

Priced right for you, all of the proceeds from the produce stand will enable MOSAIC to continue to develop workshops and other fun, educational activities for young and old alike; while educating individuals in food justice and security.  All the while, the young farmers will be learning sales skills, marketing and public relations.

Now, for a special thanks to our sponsor: Global Advanced Metals of Boyertown, for their generous donation and support.  Global Advanced Metals processes a metal called “tantalum,” found in Australia.  Their core values of safety, health and environmental excellence guide the work that they do and dovetails nicely with our healthy outlook too!!

Local honey will be available for purchase as well.  The garden has its own bee hive for pollination, tended by Lee Mauger.

Laura Washington, Gardens Manager