Jefferson Garden

BREAKING NEWS: Pete's Apizza's generous fundraising event brought in $489 and the Whole Kids Foundation has awarded a $2,000 grant to the Jefferson Garden!

Welcome to the Jefferson Community Garden!

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Donations from our garden to AFAC: Over 800 pounds of fresh vegetables

GARDEN HOURS THIS WEEK

THANK YOU to Gabby Spranger and mom, Susan, for adopting* the garden this Sunday!

Father's Day, THIS Sunday, June 16th, 11a-1p - Bring your dad or leave him to enjoy his favorite activity IF it’s not gardening (what?!) and grab a friend or family member...we’ll weed and mulch, set up trellises, harvest collards, plant squash and pumpkins – and snack on garden strawberries! Remember, students earn any lastminute community and service hours!

* see below for information on how to adopt the garden

GARDEN DESIGN CHARETTES A BIG SUCCESS - AND FEATURED ON THE APS GREEN SCENE THIS WEEK!

THANK YOU, to everyone – students, families, faculty, staff and communitymembers – who participated in the recent garden design charettes! Your input, inspiration and enthusiasm towarda master plan for the garden are invaluable. Elements to be considered include: an outdoor classroom, picnic tables, outdoor oven/cooking area, fruit trees, pond, rainwater harvesting system, accessible raised beds, circular seating area, greenhouse/high tunnel, murals, creative/artistic fencing and entrance…lots of potential for enhancing student learning and activity, extending our growing season and establishing a spirit of community in the garden. Nancy Striniste of Earlyspace, LLC will compile design ideas and develop a preliminary design over the summer, with a master plan targeted to be “unveiled” in September.

This week’s APS Green Scene episode features the design charettes –including interviews with parents, faculty, staff and a couple of the garden’s founding Girl Scouts. Enjoy!

Look for more exciting news over the summer!

See the PTA Support Letter sent in support of Jefferson's Park Enhancement Grant application that includes development of a master plan and other garden improvements. View Patty Adair's presentation to the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation PEG committee.

GROWING IN THE JEFFERSON GARDEN -

We've got tomatoes (heirloom and hybrid), collards, potatoes, onions, lettuce, beets, pole beans, okra, sage, thyme, mint, strawberries, blackberries, cucumbers, corn and Lamb's Ear! Coming soon - watermelon, squash, pumpkins and cotton!

JOIN US IN THE GARDEN - ADOPT AN HOUR (OR TWO)!

Every week/weekend, there is something to do - and no gardening experience is required, just a willingness to help our young people and the broader Arlington community!

Can you lend a hand to keep the garden going?

Can your family, book club, Girl/Boy Scout troop, sports team, neighborhood block,
church/synagogue/mosque, play group, work department, club, youth group, etc.
adopt a time slot to dedicate in the garden?

You pick the date and time from May through October and the Jefferson Garden Committee

will provide "know-how," tools and tasks (you can even choose “what” – plant, harvest, weed, thin, mulch, water…LOTS of options!). This is a rewarding and fun way to spend time with family, friends and soon-to-be-friends; earn community service hours; model the value of healthy choices and community building; get some exercise…!

Remember, a portion of the garden's produce goes to the Arlington Food Assistance Center
in support of its "Plot Against Hunger" program - nearly 800 pounds of produce has been donated to AFAC!

Sign up today! Questions? Contact Marney Michalowski, marney.michalowski@verizon.net.

THE RAIN BARREL RETURNS TO JEFFERSON

THANK YOU to the following Jefferson families – Smaragdis/Riris, Williams, McSweeney/Rafky, Hinkson, Michalowski, Adair, Black, Lane, Campany and Hill! With your generosity we had the winning bid at the GMU rain barrel auction and the Jefferson barrel has returned to Jefferson! Stop by and check it out – it sits against the school (theater wall), across from garden. THANK YOU to Arnold Appanah, Facilities Manager, for its quick installation!

THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO START OUR INTERNATIONAL GARDEN AT INTERNATIONAL NIGHT!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Garden/Environment Table to plant a number of “international” seeds (think bok choy, mizuna, cilantro) during Friday's International Night (April 26). These will be transplanted into an area designated the “International Garden.” We have a great start and everyone seemed to enjoy learning fun facts about these adopted herbs and greens!

LETTUCE4LUNCH RETURNS

Following the very popular Lettuce4Lunch event held last year (can you say "may I have a 12th helping?!"), we're doing it again! The planter at the front of the school is host to a few varieties of lettuce. Keep an eye out for your future lunch! If all goes (or grows) well, students, faculty and staff will be offered free salad at lunch in mid-June!

USDA CHOOSES JEFFERSON TO JOIN ITS RESEARCH TEAM TO STUDY HARLEQUIN BUGS

The Jefferson Garden has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to participate in its Harlequin Bug Trap Project - a great hands-on-learning opportunity! Harlequin bugs devastated many crops (including some of ours) last year – they’re cool looking, but not friendly to farmers! Don Weber, a USDA Research Entomologist and Jefferson supporter, has placed four “trap” plants (collards) laced with pheromones extracted from Harlequin bugs, in various places around the garden. The idea is any Harlequin bugs visiting the garden will be attracted to the “trap” plants, thereby, saving our real crops! Students in Mr. Golden's 7th Grade Life Science class are checking the plants on Tuesdays and Fridays for activity, collecting the visible bugs and phoning in the data (number and gender) to USDA. So far, the trap plants ARE attracting the bugs! We’re thrilled to have this opportunity for some fun, hands-on learning and contribute toward valuable research!

HEALTHY FAMILIES FUN FAIR -- A Great Success!
THANK YOU to everyone who joined the fun on February 10th - nearly 400 of you participated! The PTA Garden Committee kicked off Jefferson's innaugural Healthy Families Fun Fair for Jefferson families and our extended community. We had an exciting mix of activities -- cooking demonstrations and tastings, martial arts, Zumba, fencing, track and field events, hearing and blood pressure screenings, moon bounce, rock climbing... THANK YOU to our fabulous partners who donated their time and resources -- FitArlington, Arlington Teen Office, Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation, Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), Arlington County Department of Human Services, Parent Resource Center, Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families, The Outdoor Lab, Buyers and Renters Arlington Voice (BRAVO), Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America, Whole Foods, Arlington Career Center's Jr. Air Force ROTC, Arcadia Farms, Simplicity Healthcare, One More Page Books, Creative Martial Arts, Journey Yoga, NOVA Senior Women's Basketball, Verve Boot Camp, Potomac Valley Track Club, Pentagon Mixed Martial Arts, Creative Kids Kitchen LLC, Arlington Fencer's Club, Senior's Flash Mob and Zumba with Ingrid. THANK YOU, too, to Dr. Violand-Sanchez, APS Board Chair; Dr. Patrick Murphy, APS Superintendent; Walter Tejada, Arlington County Board Chair; and Noah Simon, Arlington County Board Member for joining us!