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Happy Fall Weather!

As gardens across the district are cleared out, students are enjoying a bountiful harvest of snacks! Check out how the third grade at Chase Street Elementary does it in their Therd Grade Blog (picture on the right)! And remember you get Green Schools credit for Garden Workdays, planting, and harvest! Just enter your information in the GS Teacher Credit Form.
 
The School Garden Network is excited to report that we have already helped to send tools and volunteers to workdays at HT Edwards, Whit Davis, Stroud, Fowler Drive, Gaines School, and Whitehead (pictured in the header!). There are also workdays on the horizon for Chase Street, Clarke Middle, Winterville, Coile, BHL, Hilsman, and JJ Harris. If you are having a workday, let us know and we can help schedule you some additional workday volunteers or Master Gardener expertise. We also have a community Tool Shed to help you with the tools you need to host a group of volunteers.

Give the School Garden Network a call to be directed to the resources available for your class! Stacy.Smith@athensclarkecounty.com or (706) 613-3501 x309

TEACH!

Seed Life Skills has launched their "Family and Consumer Sciences Modern Life Survival Guide". This curriculum is for the middle grades and captures one of the most important parts of the garden-- EATING! It is broken down into sections on: Health and Natural Resources, Kitchen Essentials, Science Systems, Creative Minds, Home Economics, and DIY Food Skills. Check out this curriculum to help teach the skills students need to be the self-sufficient, sustainable citizens of tomorrow!

Sample Lessons:
Food Cycle Poster - Put this pretty poster up in your room!
Food Cycles and Seasons - How does eating in season help lower our carbon footprint. Have students find out.
Summer Season Food Skill Bookmark - with recipes!

To find out more contact Almeta Tulloss of Seed Life Skills.

Sign up now to Leaf it to Spinach!
Leaf it to Spinach is a state-wide effort to get kids across Georgia eating, growing, and participating in spinach-infused activities during October Farm to School Month. Sign up with Georgia Organics!

Find more lesson ideas by looking through the grade level sorted lessons from the  UGA School Garden Resources Website!



 
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PLANT!

What to plant this month, Seeds: Arugula, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Kale and Greens, Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, Turnips ; Starts: Broccoli, Cabbage, Collards, Kale, Lettuce
 
  • Have work teams (Pest Patrol, Plant Health Patrol, and Plant Protection Patrol) keep an eye out for weeds, pests and disease.
  • Plant your second planting of fall crops such as collards, turnips, cabbage, mustard, and kale.
  • Refurbish mulch to control weeds, and start adding leaves and other materials for the compost pile. Store your manure under cover to prevent leaching of nutrients. 
  • Water deeply and thoroughly to prevent drought stress. Pay special attention to new transplants.
  • Harvest mature green peppers and tomatoes before frost gets them – it may not come until November,but be ready. Harvest herbs and dry them in a cool, dry place.
Find more information on garden care on the UGA Extension Publications Page.


 

EAT!

Eating from the garden this month: Apples, Arugula, Basil, Beans, Eggplant, Muscadines, Lettuce, Okra, Field Peas, Pecans, Sweet Potatoes, Radish, Summer and Winter Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon.

Feel that little bit of cool in the morning air? It's harvest time this month! Time to clear out your garden for fall crops. Salsa is an easy clear the garden recipe!

Growing Minds Fresh Summer Salsa Lesson

(amounts given are for approximately 20 children)
  • 2-3 sweet green, red, or yellow local peppers
  • Two bunches green onions (optional)
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 3 pounds of large local tomatoes or 4 pints of small tomatoes such as yellow pear, sun gold, or cherry tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3-4 limes (optional)
  • 3 garlic cloves (optional)
Have the children cut the ingredients into small pieces on their paper plate and, then, transfer them into their individual bowls. Once they are done cutting, prompt them to squeeze the juice out of their lime into their bowl of cut up ingredients. Add a dash of salt and pepper to each of their bowls. Then, have them mix it up. Eat and enjoy with tortilla chips! 

Borrow the  Office of Service Learning Cooking Kit  or find a local chef to visit your classroom.


 
EVENTS!

West Broad Farmers Market, Saturdays 10 to 2 and Tuesdays 4 to 7, West Broad Market Garden. 
Raised Beds & Garden Fences, Master Gardener monthly gardening class. Sept 21, 6 to 7:30 PM Athens-Clarke County Library. Free. Registration required.

Athens-Clarke Agricultural Fair, September 13 to 18
Athens Farmers Market Every Saturday from 8 to Noon at Bishop Park and Weds 4-7 at Creature Comforts
Exploring Edible Education, offered by Georgia Organics. Learn to integrate gardening and cooking activities into the elementary classroom This workshop is geared toward K-5 educators but educator and school nutrition teams are strongly encouraged!
Sept. 13: Macon, Sept. 14: Carrolton, Sept. 15 & 16: Atlanta
SE Farm to School Conference, Sept 23-24, Greenville, SC 

ACC Green School Registration Due, Sept 30
Connect to Protect Native Plant Sale, Opening Event 9/30, Sale days October 6-8 and 13-14, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm weekdays, 9:00 to noon Saturday, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Taste of South Jackson, October 3, Tickets on sale now.
 
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