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Garden Education is Growing: |
EarthBox Products Now Available from Top Education Catalogs!
A growing interest in standards-based gardening education has resulted in a sales boom for EarthBox Education, which offers standards-based classroom curricula for students ranging from Pre-K through Grade 12, along with a detailed Garden Guide that teaches nutrition, horticulture, and workforce development skills.  Schoolkids packing soil into an EarthBox
The EarthBox materials were evaluated and approved as quality resources by the Lawrence Hall of Science, the National Resource Directory of Ag in the Classroom, TERC's Jeff Lockwood and the California Instructional School Garden Network.
For 2009, EarthBox Education products will be carried by four nationally recognized education distributors, and featured in the following prestigious education catalogs: Fisher Science Education (Elementary 2009, Middle School 2009, High School 2009 and College 2009), Kaplan Early Learning (K-5 Kaplan), Nasco (2009 Elementary Math/Science, 2009 Summit Science, 2009 Science and 2009 Senior Activities Catalog) and Ward's Natural Science (Ward's Science, Science Kit, Sargent Welch and Ward's Ag Science Catalog).
"The EarthBox curriculum engages the student because it's hands on, student driven and inquiry based," said Molly Philbin, EarthBox's Education Director. "Not only does program introduce the joys and rewards of growing fresh, nutritious produce, it provides a continuity of learning as pre-elementary students who are introduced to growing plants in EarthBoxes can build capacity as they grow in understanding and intellectual ability."
Executives at leading educational catalogs have been unanimous in their support for EarthBox Education products. "I came across EarthBox and was immediately hooked," said Jill Jones, Category Manager for Fisher Science Education. "EarthBox, coupled with the supplemental, standards-based curriculum, offers a unique approach to teaching multiple science topics for both formal classroom instruction and informal settings."
Tim Montondo, Category Manager-Biology for Ward's Natural Science, agrees. "When we learned of the EarthBox Educational Products, we knew they would be a perfect fit for our customers," said Montondo. "We are proud to offer a product that encourages active, hands-on learning for agriscience, nutrition, horticulture, conservation and sustainable food production. So many lessons and disciplines tied into one comprehensive collection for kits and supplies is a remarkable teaching tool for educators everywhere."
For more information about EarthBox Education materials and curricula, contact Molly Philbin at (570) 840-8682 or molly.philbin@earthbox.com. |
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Grab Some Free Goodies!
Want to win an EarthBox gift certificate? Just send us your best EarthBox-related recipe or article, and you might find yourself a winner.
Here are the categories we'd like you to shoot for:
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A helpful story that provides EarthBox owners with information
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A story on your most successful crop
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Your greatest number of EarthBoxes in use at once
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Your best disaster story, so everyone can learn from your mistakes
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Your quickest recipe using an EarthBox harvest
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Your spiciest recipe using an EarthBox harvest
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Articles on non-traditional uses of the EarthBox
Your entry should be brief and to the point. We'll pick a new winner every month, and we'll post each month's winner in an upcoming issue of the newsletter.
Just send your contest entries to photos@Earthbox.com, with the word "contest" in the subject line, and we'll take a look! |
Send Us Your Photos and
Success Stories!
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To place an order, call
866-727-5532 (24/7)
or visit our online store
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Greetings!
We began our EarthBox Forum in April 2006, and since then, it's grown into a place where members feel comfortable sharing ideas, opinions, resources and experiences. Discussions are very lively.
Some topics generate an extraordinary number of views, indicating the importance of the topic, the curiosity surrounding it, and the need for more information. The most active conversations have been in the Questions and Answers section, the EarthBox Education Forum, Tips and Tricks, My EarthBox, and Recipes.
We've taken a look at viewing activity over the past few months, and want to share with you some of the topics that have enjoyed especially high activity: Questions & AnswersMixing Plants: 17,790 views. Since there's no single answer to the question of mixing plants in your EarthBox and which combinations work best, you can find a lot of information on mixing plants on the Forum. How Close Can You Space The EarthBoxes?: 1,459 views. Not a huge category, but there are a few interesting suggestions to consider here.
EarthBox Education
Unusual Crops: 10,188 views. What constitutes an unusual crop for an EarthBox? What kinds of rare fruits and vegetables are people trying? What about grains? Find out about growing Zucchini Rampicante! Visit the EarthBox Education forum and click on Community Programs. Rain Barrel Disguised as a Roof?: 1,416 Views. At WXHQ Radio Newport, the flat roof used to pose a challenge for rain water control and conservation. Now, the EarthBoxes have converted it into an urban garden. Check out the photos in the EarthBox Education forum, Community Programs section. Tips and Tricks
Another Easy Tomato Cage: 2,149 views. There are a few nice posts in this entry, including some photos. Planting Seeds in EarthBoxes: 6,953 views. There's one definitive answer posted here.
My EarthBox
Chicago Rooftop Garden: 12,265 views. This is one of the most popular entries in the My EarthBox section, which is absolutely stuffed with photos and conversations between individual EarthBox gardeners. Check in to see how this urban rooftop gardener is doing! Keith's Watermelons: 4,989 views. EarthBox Gardener Keith's produce is always a lively topic of conversation on the My EarthBox forum, especially his watermelons. But you'll also find discussions about his okra, pumpkins, popcorn, strawberries, and more on the forum.
Potato Green Bean Soup: 3,391 views. Clearly, this dish is one of your favorites! Folks, we're pleased with the way you've developed your Forum, and we encourage you to continue your dialogues with your fellow EarthBox growers.
Happy New Year!
 Frank DiPaolo EarthBox |
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Fresh from the Forum
Grow Lights |
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 Planning to do some indoor growing this winter? If so, you'll need information on the best grow lights, and which suppliers provide them. Go to the Forum and click on Over the Garden Fence to learn more. |
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Retailer of the Month
Sun Harbor Nursery |
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We're proud of our dedicated, authorized EarthBox Gardening System retailers around the country. Every month we highlight one of our valued partners, so you can learn more about them and their products. This month, we honor Florida's Sun Harbor Nursery.  Sun Harbor, which opened in the early 1970s, is dedicated to providing a full line of plants and products suited for the barrier islands of central Florida's east coast. The EarthBox concept has been encouraging for both the workers and the clientele of Sun Harbor; as urbanites, they've become farmers without all the hassles of nematodes, insects and fungus. Sun Harbor holds regular EarthBox seminars, and promotes the product quite a bit in their advertising; in fact, EarthBox products have their own page on the Sun Harbor web site. According to their spokesperson, "We've got to be one of EarthBox's top dealers -- we order them by the pallet and can't keep them in stock. We're knowledgeable and very enthusiastic, because we all have them ourselves. Sorry about the freezing temperatures elsewhere; we're in the low 80's and still growing!" Sun Harbor Nursery 920 East Eau Gallie Blvd. Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937 (321) 773-1375 http://www.sunharbornursery.com/ |
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From Our Customers
That's No Pineapple Under the Sea... |
 "Looks like something from the SpongeBob Squarepants show." An EarthBox gardener from Wichita Falls, Texas
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About EarthBox
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The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers, and proven in the lab and on the farm. Our maintenance-free, award-winning, high-tech growing system controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork, and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden -- with less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort. It's used successfully on a daily basis by commercial farmers, educators, and consumers. Distributors are also finding it to be a popular growing system.
EarthBox is a remarkably easy-to-set-up system that can be used to grow produce virtually anywhere. EarthBox systems have been incorporated into community gardens all over the world, enabling families and neighbors to share fresh produce, while minimizing work and expenses. EarthBoxes can even be found in classrooms. Our EarthBox Pre-K through 12th grade standards-based curriculum support packages can bring science to life, with hands-on cross-curricula lessons that teach principles of growing and nutrition utilizing the scientific method in student-driven experiments.
To find out more, visit www.earthbox.com. |
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Postscript: Announcements |
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It's been an exciting month, and we've got a few important last-minute announcements to make!
EarthBox Education
First of all, we're pleased to announce the launch of our EarthBox Education newsletter, which is dedicated to news about Earthbox in the classroom, the community and internationally. We invite you to subscribe to this bi-monthly newsletter, so you can keep abreast of what's happening in the EarthBox Education realm. To do so, follow these simple steps:
- Click on "Update Profile/Email Address" at the bottom of this newsletter.
- Enter your email address in the field provided and click Submit.
- An email with the subject line "Update your profile" will be sent to you. Open it and click on the "Update your profile" link.
- Select the "Education Newsletter" box in the left column.
- Click "Save Profile Changes."
We've Been Honored!
 The EarthBox Organic Ready To Grow Kit has been chosen as one of the recipients of Organic Gardening magazine's 2009 Editor's Choice Award. This honor was awarded to EarthBox after the kit was evaluated by a panel that includes Organic Gardening editors, test gardeners and the professionals who care for the gardens of Organic Gardening's founders -- the Rodale Family.
A Reminder...
Oh, and one more thing: don't forget about our monthly contest, where we give away an EarthBox gift certificate for the best story or recipe. You'll find more information over there on the lower left side of the newsletter. | |
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