Dream garden, store for student creations taking shape

This structure, made of old pallets, will house the Entrepreneur Pavilion.

The green spotlight will shine on schoolyard gardens and student creativity next February at the 2014 Southern Spring Home and Garden Show.
The Catawba River District has partnered with Charlotte Mecklenburg School System, Gaston County Schools, Mecklenburg Health Department, Mecklenburg Food Policy Council, Mecklenburg & Gaston Cooperative Extension, Friendship Gardens, 100 Gardens and many others to transition the 2014 Southern Spring Show into an education-focused, entrepreneur-based event supporting school-based achievements (STEM Skills) and collaborative hands-on learning (Common Core), all imbedded around and supporting schoolyard gardens.

River District's growing green thumb

The Catawba River District currently funds and coordinates STEM (science technology engineering and math) focused field trips, schoolyard gardens, a mobile chicken tractor and an annual Eco-Footprint Challenge in a regional partnership engaging approximately 10,000 economically challenged students from 11 schools.
Schoolyard gardens provide a proven platform for education, health & wellness, and career awareness. At least 84 Charlotte Mecklenburg schools are engaged in schoolyard gardening.  The Catawba River District in partnership with the Mecklenburg Health Department, Mecklenburg Food Policy Council and Friendship Gardens launched a Green Teacher Network on August 20 to support this “growing” nationwide trend.
Between 75,000 and 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the 2014 show. Our features components include:

The Ultimate Schoolyard Garden Display

This demonstration garden for teachers, students, and the general public will include numerous display gardens (raised beds, wildlife, pollinator, ozone, alphabet and others) plus an outdoor classroom, growing and art walls, greenhouse, aquaponics (hydroponics and fish farming), vermiculture (yes worms) and other composting ideas, weather, and renewable energy displays of solar and wind.  Everything being presented could be possible within the structure of a local school. Putting it all together? Well, that would be the ultimate! Learn more at CatawbaRiverDistrict.org.

Entrepreneur Pavilion

All schools within Charlotte Mecklenburg and Gaston County School Systems participating in schoolyard garden projects will be invited to become part of the Green Teacher Network and participate in the Entrepreneur Pavilion. The pavilion will allow each school’s students to develop a “product” that they then can “sell”  in our Entrepreneur Pavilion during the 2014 Southern Spring Show.
Students will get real-world career-focused learning as they develop, make and market their products. Proceeds of product sales will support participating schoolyard gardens. Learn more at CatawbaRiverDistrict.org.

Sponsors and volunteers needed

As you can tell, this project needs extensive sponsorship and many volunteer hands between now and February. To learn more about how you can help, or how your school can create products for the Entrepreneur Pavilion, email Edna Chiricoechirico@catawbariverdistrict.org, Executive Director of the Catawba River District.

Learn more

• The Southern Spring Home & Garden Show will take place Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 28-March 2 at the Park Expo and Conference Center in Charlotte. Learn more at Southernshows.com.
• Learn more about the Ultimate Schoolyard Garden and Entrepreneur Pavilion, at catawbariverdistrict.org.
• CLICK to download an Ultimate Schoolyard Garden sponsorship packet.

Fruit & Vegetable Coalition promotes healthy foods at Transit Center event

Sept. 19 event promotes healthy eating at uptown Transit Center

In honor of National Fruits & Veggies Month, the Mecklenburg County Fruit & Vegetable Coalition "Super Moms" will be at the Friendship Gardens "To-Go Mobile Market” in the uptown Transit Center on Sept. 19 to distribute fruit and veggie information and kid-friendly recipes. The group would love to have your support.

Friendship Gardens TO GO supplies uptown Charlotte and the many people using the CATS Transit Center with a quick and convenient location to buy fresh vegetables and produce options. Friendship Gardens TO GO is an expansion of the Friendship Gardens program and is made possible by Humana and the Charlotte 2012 host committee.
Friendship Gardens TO GO operates 3-6 p.m. Thursdays through October at the CATS Transit Center uptown. Look for the red truck in Bay X. Charlotte Transit Center next to the LYNX Blue Line track.

Hundreds of groups working together

More than 200 member groups of the Fruit & Vegetable Coalition are building a healthier Mecklenburg County by increasing access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables. The coalition’s goal is to get 25% of county residents to regularly eat 5 fruit & vegetable servings a day.
Current coalition activities include:

• Increasing number of local farmers markets and community gardens
• Advocacy for policies around improving fruit and vegetable access and consumption
• Community education of the benefits of fruits and vegetables

You and your group can get involved, too

Any organization or individual wanting to increase access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables in Mecklenburg County can join the coalition for free. Members get a monthly newsletter, networking, access to many materials and invites to the quarterly meetings.
The group’s website is chock full of materials, as well, including details on many community gardens, farmers markets, and gardening how-to materials.
Learn more at the coalition website or Facebook page.
Or simply attend the group's next meeting,  9:30-11 am Nov 8 at Mecklenburg County Health Department, 249 Billingsley Road, Charlotte, NC 28211

Volunteer to help mobile market

Friendship Gardens To Go needs volunteers to package produce at the Friendship Trays Kitchen (2401 Distribution St.) on Thursdays and then to sell the produce that afternoon at the Transit Center. Or you can make signs and help with marketing through social media, email and word of mouth. Learn more at the mobile-market website.

Get garden basics, sneak peak of Ultimate Garden, at Green Teacher Network

Participants hear about the Green Teacher Network at the Aug.21 debut.

Get the basics on launching a schoolyard garden – and get a sneak preview of the Ultimate Schoolyard Garden – at the second quarterly meeting of the Green Teacher Network, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the CPCC Harris Campus.

The Green Teacher Network launched in August as a way for the educators involved with schoolyard gardens to learn from one another and from experts in education, horticulture and food preparation. More than 100 Gaston and Mecklenburg schools now have vegetable gardens, and another 50 say they are planning to add them.

Our first program on Aug. 21 gave an overview of the Network and offered hands-on math and science lessons based on cooked and, yes, raw eggs. Read Megan Lambert’s blog to learn more.

Nov. 1 program and sneak preview

On Nov. 1, we will go over basic information for launching gardens. This will be a great time for veterans to share what they’ve learned for the benefit of gardening beginners.
Everyone will want to hear more about the Ultimate Schoolyard Garden under development for next February’s Southern Spring Home and Garden Show. And we will also talk about how your students can create and sell products at the Spring Show Entrepreneurial Village. Proceeds will benefit your garden program.
The free program will include lunch.

Why have a network?

The Catawba River District is partnering with Mecklenburg Health Department and many others to create the Green Teacher Network, a quarterly networking meeting where teachers and educators can network, receive relevant information about gardening and complete a hands-on project, which they can take back to the classroom with them. Other goals include supporting local foods and expanding current health and wellness initiatives through school-based gardening.

The network is open to all teachers from public, private, charter and home schools.  In addition, all educators directly involved in the local food and growing economy are invited to participate. Please note the Green Teacher Education Network’s primary goal is to enhance school-based gardening.

How to register

RSVP please: Please email Edna Chirico, executive director of the Catawba River District, to let us know you are coming. And please include the following information:

• Your name
• Email
• Phone (optional)
• School
• Grade/Subject
• Are you currently involved with gardening at your school?
• Are you a beginning gardener?

Directions and contact information

The Network will meet at the CPCC Harris Campus, 3210 CPCC Harris Campus, Charlotte. Follow signs to our meeting room.
CLICK HERE for a map and directions.

Learn more about Green Teacher Network

You can learn more about the Green Teacher Network by visiting CatawbaRiverDistrict.org or emailing Edna Chirico, the River District executive director.

Mark your calendars: Clean water starts here

Lake Norman Charter students show off their haul of trash in the 2012 Big Sweep

What would Charlotte be without a clean and reliable source of water? Learn how the river has nourished humans for thousands of years at the Catawba River Women’s Group monthly meeting on Sept. 17, then pitch in to keep it clean by volunteering in the Great Sweep on Sept. 28 and the Lake Wylie Riversweep on Oct. 5. Stay on top of these local activities and much more by checking out our calendar at CatawbaRiverDistrict.org.

Meanwhile, here are more details about upcoming events. Have fun, and maybe I'll see you there!
– Rich Haag

Great upcoming activities in and near the River District

• Catawba River Women's Group Evening Social – 5:30-7 p.m. Sept. 17 at A Mighty Fortress Lutheran Church in Coulwood: You're invited to join other women interested in the Catawba River for an evening of fun and education. Guest speaker Rusty Rozzelle is an expert on both Catawba River water quality and history (ever heard of Rozzelle's Ferry Road?). Learn more by calling Barbara Lawrence at 704-605-2461. Or reserve your spot by Sept. 15 by sending an email to catawbariverwomen@gmail.com. Event is free, but $5 donations are welcome.
• Mecklenburg Big Sweep – 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 28 at 6 Mecklenburg streams and lakes: Help clean up the Catawba and its streams in this annual event. Hundreds of people pulled 5 tons of junk out of the water last year. This year’s six targets include Latta Plantation Nature Preserve on Mountain Island Lake. Register and learn more at charmeck.org/stormwater/ or call Deania Russo at 704-336-5463. The website has directions and maps to each location.
• Lake Wylie Riversweep – 8 am-1 pm Oct. 5 at various Lake Wylie locations; Help clean up the shores of Lake Wylie in the 12th annual Riversweep, organized by the Catawba Riverkeeper. Come alone or bring your family (kids included), friends, co-workers or neighbors. You `will join residents from all around the lake who care about maintaining a clean and healthy environment. People who have limited physical ability can fulfill many of the tasks performed at each volunteer site. Visit catawbariverkeeper.org to learn more and register.

Send us calendar submissions, too

Does your group have an event of interest to people who live or come to play in the River District? Send us details. We may add it to the calendar. Here are guidelines:

Appropriate items include special events in the River District and programs in or near the River District that are focused on environmental preservation, outdoor activities and community fun. Events must be open to the general public.

The calendar does not list regular meetings except by a handful of important watchdog groups, such as the Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake Marine Commissions.

Please be aware that we cannot list everything and reserve the right to accept or reject a calendar item at our discretion.

Send your items: EMAIL your items to Rich Haag and include River District Calendar in the message line.