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Program Perspectives — Summer 2009
Earlier this year, I attended the Regional Environmental Council’s Spring Garden Forum to present certificates of recognition to several community gardens in Worcester. Along with the certificates were awards from WCHS’s Cary Brothers Fund, established in 1988, “for the granting of awards to individuals for excellence in the field of horticulture.” The Regional Environmental Council sponsors two important gardening programs, Urban Garden Resources of Worcester, a grassroots, city-wide community gardens program better known as UGROW, and Youth Growing and Raising Organics in Worcester, or YouthGROW, an eight week urban agriculture youth employment and leadership development program for 14-16 year old young adults.
First Lady Michelle Obama marked the first day of spring with the groundbreaking of the 1,100-square-foot “White House Kitchen Garden” with the help of a group of local fifth grade students. In the first vegetable garden on the White House property since 1945, 55 varieties of vegetables will be grown. Several new websites have cropped up, such as Boston’s own Patti Moreno’s Garden Girl TV (www.gardengirltv.com), Growing Wisdom with David Epstein (www.growingwisdom.com) and the Garden Project (www.onemilliongardens.com). Tower Hill’s Youth Gardening Program is now in its sixth year and is flourishing under the guidance of Youth Program Coordinator Ann Marie Pilch.
Gardening is a great family activity. I remember in my youth helping my mother in the garden planting seeds, pulling weeds, harvesting and preserving all sorts of vegetables. Every year we canned my favorite – Fannie Farmer’s Garden Special, a delicious mix of tomatoes, onions, peppers and celery which served as a base for spaghetti sauce, soups and salsa. Whether you live in the city or the country, join a community garden or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), have a backyard garden or garden in containers, few things are as healthy and rewarding as growing and eating fresh local produce. You can also visit a farmer’s market.
This summer we have some great programs lined up, including three vegetable garden tours with staff horticulturist Dawn Davies and a three-part Organic Vegetable Gardening Intensive with Priscilla Williams, who literally co-wrote the book on organic gardening. I hope you can join us!
For more detailed information, please visit NESOG Gardening/Landscaping Certificate program page, Classes & Programs, for workshops, lectures and demonstrations, Symposia, Trips and Tours, and a schedule of Youth gardening programs at Tower Hill Farm School . We hope you can join us for another exciting season at Tower Hill Botanic Garden!
Craig Anthony
Director of Education
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