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News Today for a More Sustainable Tommorrow
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December
30, 2008
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The end of 2008 is
near. We end it with this newsletter followed by a survey about our
newsletters. (After reading this newsletter, you may take the survey here, or wait for it to arrive in your inbox shortly
following your receipt of this newsletter.) Please let us know what you
think as we move into the New Year. The survey is 10 questions
and can be completed in less than five minutes. We look forward to your
thoughts and insights.
Again, thank you for your interest in our organization and our
programs. Your support is critical to our operations and our success. We
appreciate your important role in ensuring the continuation
of our programs that champion urban agriculture and
assist families with food security. Please give generously. Our
success depends upon you. You can make your online donation here, or mail your contribution to Community
GroundWorks at Troy Gardens, 3601 Memorial Dr., Suite 4, Madison, WI
53704. Thanks, and have a safe and happy New Year's Day.
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 White House Farmer
Food policy is not something American presidents have had
to give much thought to, at least since the Nixon administration - the
last time high food prices presented a serious political peril. But there
are reasons to think that the old approach won't work this time around.
Michael Pollan -- a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine,
professor at UC-Berkeley, and author, most recently, of In Defense of Food: An Eater's
Manifesto -- wrote a letter to the President-Elect which
appeared in the Oct. 9 issue of The
Times in which he promoted the idea of a White House
Farmer and a five-acre "organic fruit and vegetable
garden" at the White House. Community GroundWorks has nominated Troy
Community Farm's farmer, Claire Strader, for the position of Farmer
in Chief.
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 Hobbyist Genetic Engineers
Using homemade lab equipment and scientific knowledge
available online, hobbyists are trying to create new life forms
through genetic engineering - a field long dominated by Ph.D.s toiling in
university and corporate laboratories. Critics of the movement
worry that these amateurs could one day unleash an environmental or
medical disaster. [Read article]
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 Urban Farm School
A school of urban farming -- a North American first -- is
finding fertile soil in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Richmond's
parks, recreation, and cultural services committee has unanimously
endorsed the concept of an urban farm school and directed city staff to
investigate city land for such a project. Instruction would be based on
intensive farming on small plots, a heavy dependence on physical labor,
ecological sustainability, and meeting local market demands, including
the food needs of ethnic and immigrant communities.
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 WIRED: On Urban Farming
Urban farming is an excuse to geek out with some awesome
tech. Innovations from NASA and garage tinkerers have made food-growing
radically more efficient and compact than the victory gardens of yore.
"Aeroponics" planters grow vegetables using mist, slashing
water requirements; hackers are building home-suitable
"aquaponics" rigs that use fish to create a cradle-to-grave
ecosystem, generating its own fertilizer (and delicious tilapia, too).
Experts have found that cultivating a mere half-acre of urban land with
such techniques can yield more than $50,000 worth of crops annually. [Read article]
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 Growing School Gardens
Produced by the Madison Metropolitan School District, this
5-minute video outlines our 'Growing School Gardens' initiative to
help schools create and sustain gardens that serve as outdoor
classrooms providing children living in an urban landscape
with a direct connection to their food and the earth. [Watch video]
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 Green Jobs
We are seeking a part-time administrative assistant in
early 2009. Please read the job description and apply if you are
interested.
For other environmental positions throughout the world, the following are
some good websites for your review:
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Help Us Grow
Your support is vital and provides essential food
education to over 700 children, support to low-income urban
gardeners at our 330-plot community gardens, continuing restoration of 5
acres of prairie and forest, further development of our organic farm, and
more.
[Donate Today]
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Upcoming Events
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Coming Soon
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Newsletter Information
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In addition to the return of this national interest
newsletter, we also will soon be bringing back our local newsletter, The Buzz. Look for
it soon.
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Our 2009 Programs
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For as little as $10 each, over 190 families can grow food
in a 400-square-foot plot at Troy Community Gardens. Over 115 households
receive food for 21 weeks through our Community-Supported Agriculture
program at Troy Community Farm - the City of Madison's first organic and
urban farm. Within our Troy Natural Areas, we regenerate and
maintain five acres of tall grass prairie and maple
woodlands. Our Kids' Gardening Program teaches kids how to grow
their own food. Our Farm & Field program for high school students and
our college internships provide valuable hands-on experience and help
build food-growing skills in our youth.
Additionally, in 2009, we are developing several new community-based
food-security and conservation programs including the Youth Grow Local
Initiative, our Growing School Gardens program, our Young Stewards
program, our Community Kitchen Gardens program, and a year-round
educational workshop series.
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Contact Information
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Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens
Bob Gragson, Executive Director
director@troygardens.org
608-240-0409
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