7.23.2024 Where does all the produce go?
| Where does all the produce go? People often ask what happens to all of the produce grown in the school gardens during the summer months. So far this summer: 🥕 Open Garden participants have picked and sampled radishes, basil, raspberries and more. 🥬 Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse / Extension La Crosse County Food WIse cooking classes have started making recipes with garden produce – the radish salsa was a hit! 🍓 School District of La Crosse Summer Enrichment – “Fun in the GROW Gardens” students have made rainbow wraps and other garden to table treats. 🥦 La Crescent-Hokah Community Education “Garden Explorers” class students are learned new recipes and tasted fresh picked goodies. 💯 Even with all of this programming – Over 140 pounds have already been donated to the School District of La Crosse’s summer nutrition program!     Have you been to Open Garden yet? Come visit us during our last weeks of Open Garden! Kids will get great hands-on experience in a garden by helping with produce harvests and garden maintenance, as well as the opportunity to make crafts and try out some new recipes. Families are also welcomed and encouraged to take home any produce available for harvest during our programming. Lately our gardens have had lots of fresh herbs, leafy greens, summer squash, zucchini, and more! With only 3 more weeks of Open Garden events left, we’d love to see you there – whether you’re able to come for the whole time or just want to stop by and say hi – all are welcome!  Follow this link to register your 2nd – 8th grader for a memorable Summer on the Farm experience. There are only a few openings left! Garden Yoga & Pollinator Workshops There are so many different ways you can get involved in school gardens. Did you know we are partnering with Palm & Pine Yoga this summer? You can sign up through their website to join a Saturday morning garden yoga class at the Spence Elementary School garden. Once the yoga is done participants stay and spend time together helping to maintain the garden. We are also hosting Pollinator Workshops this summer. These community events offer an opportunity to learn more about native pollinator plants while helping to establish or enhance the pollinator patches at each of the school gardens. Follow us on social media or check out our website for more details. Find the sign up links for all of the school garden volunteer opportunities on our website.  |
| It’s what I would want for my own children… “Joining the GROW La Crosse board has allowed me to use my professional skills and experience to give back to the community where I live. I am proud to help connect children and families to nature, plants and hands-on education – it’s what I would want for my own children!” – Esti Tierney, GROW Board Treasurer. We are looking for individuals with an interest to serve as committee and board members. Please reach out to any of our current board members or staff to learn more about how you can get involved in this important work. You can also fill out an interest survey here.   |