ecoRI News and City Farm present ecoEarth–a revamped composting initiative in Providence

Since 2009 City Farm and ecoRI News have partnered to collect community members’ food scraps and divert it from Rhode Island’s landfill. Community members could drop off their food scraps at neighborhood farmers markets, and City Farm would pick up the material and turn it into nutrient-rich compost for its many beds of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers.

Beginning this season, they are changing the model of the program from collecting food scraps at farmers markets to a door-to-door pickup. The new program is called ecoRI Earth. Participating households receive a five-gallon bucket to store their food scraps, and ecoRI will stop by either weekly or biweekly to pickup the buckets, drop off clean buckets and deliver the scraps to City Farm or New Urban Farmers.

Through this new model, ecoRI hopes to reach more people and encourage them to collect their food scraps in order to help urban farms in Providence produce high-quality local food and save space in Rhode Island’s central landfill.

Click here to read more about the program!

A major step of the City Farm composting process is to aerate the pile. This not only introduces more oxygen but also helps keep any unwanted critters away.

Start saving water; reserve a rain barrel today!

It’s been an extremely rainy June, and word on the street is that we’ve gotten a record amount of rainfall these past few weeks! The rain could not come at a more perfect time. SCLT is partnering with Groundwork Providence to offer rainwater collection barrels for your gardens at an amazingly inexpensive price. It’s not only a great way to save water but also an opportunity to support two organizations that are trying to make our city greener and healthier.

Members of the Providence Community Growers Network (PCGN) are eligible to purchase rain barrels for $85 per barrel ($70 for each additional barrel). Unless you construct your own, we’ve found that this is one of the least expensive rain barrels. These rain barrels are made by Groundcorps, Groundwork Providence’s hands-on training and transitional employment program. Proceeds will support Groundwork Providence and SCLT’s PCGN.

You can pick up your rain barrel on Thursday, June 27th, 5-7 p.m. SCLT and Groundwork staff will be there with advice on how to hook your new rain barrel up.

If you are interested in purchasing a rain barrel, you must email Liza Sutton, Community Growers Network Director, at liza@southsideclt.org by June 24th.

Grow Smart Rhode Island Honors SCLT for its Transformative Work

On Monday evening Grow Smart RI celebrated individuals, projects and plans that promote the sustainable improvement and development of the state. Grow Smart RI recognized SCLT and its Providence Community Garden Network (PCGN) as one of five outstanding growth projects that have both created economic benefits and improved communities and neighborhoods.

The PCGN was honored for its work with transforming six acres of vacant lots throughout Providence into a network of 43 gardens where more than 300 individuals and families grow food to feed their households. In addition to helping improve food security in Providence, the network gardens have contributed to revitalizing many neighborhoods by turning vacant lots into lush oases of productive green space that promote community health.

Many thanks to Grow Smart RI for this prestigious award. We’re excited to continue transforming barren spaces into vibrant community gardens and provide community members with the means to grow, eat and sell fresh, healthy food.

Join us and be a part of urban agriculture history in Providence!

Join us and be a part of urban agriculture history in Providence!

You’ve heard about the new Lots of Hope program, and now is your chance to be a part of it! This month, the City of Providence and SCLT will begin construction of the program’s inaugural project–Manton Bend Community Farm. The community farm will be the first of its kind in Providence–an expanse of just over 1/2 acre of city-owned land that will change the landscape of Providence and how the city feeds itself.

We are in need of 30 volunteers for both buildout days on June 22nd and June 29th. If you are interested in being a part of this exciting and innovative project, please contact Michelle Walker at michelle@southsideclt.org for more details. 

SCLT seeks to hire a Youth Garden Coordinator for Summer 2013

Interested in honing your hands-on experiential teaching skills? Apply for the SCLT Youth Garden Coordinator summer internship!

SCLT is currently accepting applications for a summer intern to assist with our summer youth gardening programming. The intern will be responsible for working with SCLT’s Education Coordinator to coordinate and teach all aspects of SCLT’s Youth Garden Program. The intern will develop educational programs for youth ages 4-15 and teach daily lessons related to food cultivation and distribution, nutrition, health, ecology and local environmental issues.

Click here to read a complete description of the Youth Garden Coordinator position. Applications are due by next Monday, June 10th!

Plant Providence – Medicinal Herbs Workshop: Sat., June 8th, 3-5 p.m.

Join Mary Blue of Farmacy Herbs this Saturday, June 8th, from 3-5 p.m. at Groundwork Providence Community Garden (14-18 Ring St.) for a workshop on Medicinal Herbs.

Farmacy Herbs is Providence’s viable example of accessible holistic health care. Mary and her crew of dedicated volunteers manage a 5-acre farm in West Greenwich, RI where they grow medicinal herbs and produce honey using organic methods. In addition to selling their herbs and honey, Farmacy Herbs also run several educational programs and are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge of growing, preparing and using medicinal herbs.

This Saturday you will have the opportunity to participate in one of their workshops and learn how you can grow and use organic herbs to support your health.

Click here to pre-register. See you this Saturday!

21st Annual Plant Sale Recap

Thanks to everyone who came to the 21st Annual Plant Sale and supported SCLT’s mission to help people grow food. This year was another successul year with over 1,700 people attending. We raised over $60,000, and all proceeds will help sustain our educational and community gardening programs. We are inspired by everyone’s enthusiasm to grow their own food, and it’s such a wonderful feeling to know that all of those plants are going to good homes!

Many thanks to the musicians and all of our volunteers who worked tirelessly to keep the event flowing smoothly.

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Plant Providence Summer Schedule

The days are getting hotter, and it’s beginning to feel more and more like summer. It’s time to get those warm weather crops we just purchased at the Plant Sale (stay tuned for a recap of this year’s event) into the ground, and we have just the workshops you’ll need to keep your gardens growing healthy and strong throughout the summer!

Below is the Plant Providence summer lineup. First up is our Medicinal Herbs workshop with Farmacy Herbs on Saturday, June 8th, at Groundwork Providence Community Garden.

Workshop dates, times, and locations are subject to change, so keep checking back for up-to-date information. Workshops are free for SCLT members and a sliding scale of $5-10 for nonmembers. Click here to view the full calendar of events and workshops happening throughout the year.

A Plant Sale Sneak Peek!

The 21st Annual Rare and Unusual Plant Sale is this weekend, and we are looking forward to seeing the crowds at City Farm buzzing with excitement about getting their hands dirty and growing food. This year, the City Farm team has carefully curated a selection of varieties that lives up to the “Rare and Unusual” nature of the Plant Sale. To get you even more excited for the big event this weekend, here’s a sneak peek of some of the plants that you will see and possibly take home with you!

 

Rainbow Quinoa

Chenopodium quinoa 90-120 days. The leaves are thick and succulent with a salty, savory flavor similar to spinach. The tiny grain is nutty, delicious, and packed with protein. Ornamental seed heads in rainbow colors. Blooms in late summer to autumn.

 

 

Painted Lady Bean

1800s heirloom. Runner bean with a red and white flower. The 6 foot tall plants produce sweet, rough, flat pods up to 10 inches long, filled with streaked, pinkish-brown seeds. Sweet-flavored and crisply textured – tasty for eating fresh, canned or frozen.

 

 

 

Crystal Apple Cucumber

Pretty New Zealand heirloom with pale greenish fruits resembling Granny Smith apples. Best when young – smooth, tender and cream-tasting. 75 days

 

 

 

Filius Blue Hot Pepper

Spicy hot! Sometimes grown in containers as an ornamental. Purplish foliage with purple-blue (and very hot) fruits when young, but mature to a bright red with a milder edge. 80 days.

 

 

 

Papalo

Aromatic Mexican native for tacos, salsa, and sauces. Taste is somewhere between arugula, cilantro and rue.

 

 

Indigo Rose Tomato

80 days. Indet. A vibrant indigo, almost blue skin on 2 inch, round fruits. Superbly balanced, multi-faceted tomatoey flavor. High in antioxidants.

Calling for Proposals for Pilot Residential Composting Programs

SCLT is collaborating with the City of Providence on piloting a Residential Composting Program that will encourage and teach neighborhoods to divert their solid waste, help build healthy soils in Providence and save space in the landfill. SCLT and the City seek to partner with community organizations in Providence neighborhoods in order to pilot two programs that will work with 25 households each.

We are calling for proposals. If you are interested in collaborating with SCLT and the City of Providence, click here to get more details about the new program and the application process. Contact Leo Pollock (leo@southsideclt.org or 401-273-9419 ext. 28) with any questions. We look forward to reading your proposals!