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Monthly Newsletter

February, 2020
Soil Cycle Kickstarts Partnership with
Freedom Gardens

As the momentum of 2020 continues to roll, our goal to get worm bins into classrooms is underway! When I first met Heath Carney, director of Freedom Gardens, a community-focused education intuitive, I knew he had the passion to make big projects come to life! Freedom Gardens is an aquaponics greenhouse and active classroom for the Frenchtown School District. They currently grow greens for the school cafeteria year-round. Their recent project growing delicious microgreens also means they have an organic byproduct that Heath is hoping to bring back into the natural cycle.

Heath and Freedom Gardens project featured below:

Heath’s enthusiasm for the natural food cycle jump-started our partnership this year through an interest in building worm bins together. With the help of Vermibags, we delivered 5 new vermicomposting systems to Freedom Gardens this month. As we screwed together reclaimed lumber from Home Resource to build wood frames for the worm bins, we talked about the future educational potential of teaching young students about decomposers. Two large worm systems will stay in Freedom Gardens’ greenhouse and 3 small bins will be spread out in 3 different Frenchtown Elementary School classrooms. These teachers and students will be able to understand the phases their kitchen waste goes through in a very tangible and observable ways. Our little red wiggler friends have already started breaking down microgreen trays in the greenhouse and in a few months will provide natural fertilizer for the plants. Soil Cycle is offering Frenchtown classrooms education about the care and maintenance of their new worms bins to future the reach of this partnership.
Get Ready to Grow!
Start Thinking About Spring Gardening
Spring gardening? Now? Late winter gives us a perfect opportunity to start thinking about spring gardens! Now is the time to brush off those dusty garden gloves and make plans for the glorious growing season. Get ahead of the game by considering the following:
  • R&D: Take some time to reflect on what you want out of your garden this year, what worked last year, and what didn't. If you didn't have a garden last year, or even if you did, research growing methods and new ideas to avoid the last-minute rush when you're ready to plant.
  • Last frost: Getting the maximum yield from your garden requires consideration of the last frost and transplanting seed starts accordingly. Some vegetables can be planted before the last frost while others must wait. Missoula's average last frost is May 24, but considering the mild winter we've experienced, a sooner date is certainly a possibly. Pay attention to temperature trends over the next month or two to make an educated guess.
  • Acquire seeds: Unless you saved seeds from last year, find your seeds by talking with neighbors or friends, shopping at a Missoula nursery, or checking out Missoula's Seed Swap Event on March 28 (we'll be there!). And don't forget that you can stop by the Missoula Public Library and peruse the free Five Valleys Seed Library: https://www.missoulapubliclibrary.org/5valleys
  • Compost, compost, compost! Compost is a very important part of the gardening process! Whether you compost yourself, are members with us, or buy locally made compost, Spring is a great time to add some to your beds. Compost adds plant available nutrients, helps with water retention, and works as a natural pest deterrent. When adding compost, make sure to mix it with soil, so the growing medium is not too rich for seedlings. For members, our free compost give back is April 16th. Extra bags of compost are $10 each. We'd love bagging and biking help for this event. 

Exciting things happening soon:


March
March 5: Zero Waste presentation with the University of Montana:
March 14: Pi Day Event at the Dillon, MT Patagonia outlet
Gallagher Building Room 122, 7 - 8:30pm
March 26 & March 27: Volunteer Building Day at MUD: 11 am - 2:30pm
March 28: Seed Swap event: River Road Farm:

April
April 4: Vermicompost workshop at MUD: 1 - 4:00pm (preregister to ensure space; Soil Cycle members get a discount!)

April 16: 5:30-8:30pm- Soil Give Back Ride (volunteers needed!)
April 25: MUD's Earth Day event: 1 - 4:00pm

March Goals

1. Expand space/move worm bins
2. Sift finished compost for members
3. Harvest worm bins
4. Build BSF trough system
5. Continued education for after-school programs

To achieve these goals we need: 
1. Volunteers (Mondays, Thursdays, & Fridays)

2. Donations

Thank You For Your Support!

With Love, from our Board and Cyclists! Keep on turning...
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736 S. 1st. W. Ste. C | Missoula, MT |
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Soil Cycle · 736 S. 1st St. W. Ste. C. · MIssoula, MT 59801 · USA

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