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Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers' Market Pre-Season Kickoff, April 20th!
2-5pm at the Ypsi Senior Center, 1015 N. Congress
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| Growing Hope invites you to celebrate the start of farmers' market season a bit early! On Tuesday, April 20th from 2-5pm, inside at  the Ypsi Senior Center you can meet your farmer, purchase seedlings and early season produce, and celebrate spring at the Downtown Ypsi Farmers' Market Pre-Season Kickoff!
Regular market season resumes downtown starting in May from 2-6 pm!
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New Growing Garden Program
Offers Gardening Courses!
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| Fill out a Growing Gardens Membership Applications today, and sign-up for our two mini-courses about starting or re-energizing a group garden! Both courses are being held at Spark East, 215 W. Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti.
Thursday, April 15th, 6- 8 pm
Starting a Community Garden
This quick overview of best practices for starting a new community, school, or congregational garden will give you basic guidance and direct you to resources that can help you get organized and growing this season. RSVP now!
Tuesday, April 27th, 6-8 pm
Community & School Garden Re-Energizer!
Join leaders of other existing community & school gardens for a refresher on how to keep your garden growing! This course offers a great opportunity for networking with other gardens who may be facing similar conditions and challenges of keeping people motivated. RSVP now!
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Growing Hope's Spring Plant Sale!
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| Don't miss our plant sale extravaganza  at the
Growing Hope Center Friday, April 30th,4-8pm and Saturday, May 1, 10am-4pm. We'll be selling a variety of veggie & herb seedlings, edible container gardens and raised bed kits.
If you aren't quite read to put things in the ground by Mayday, we'll give you another opportunity at Plant Sale 2.0 on Saturday, May 15th, 10am-4pm.
Mark your calendar and join us!
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Free Raised Bed Installs
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| For the second year we're offering Free Raised Beds Installs and free seedlings to low-income and no-income households.
In exchange, participants will weigh & track their harvests.
We're excited to install raised bed gardens with 40 more households this spring in the Ypsilanti area-- building on the 80 households who received them in 2009!
To apply fill out the Growing Gardens application for individuals/ households, and we'll be in touch to let you know if you're selected!
If you'd like to volunteer to help with these Installations, start with filling out our Volunteer Application.
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Community Garden at Parkridge Park!
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| The Perry Learning Garden in Parkridge Park is being rebuilt into
a community garden. Raised bed plots will be available 
for individuals, families or groups who want to grow their own food. Local residents, youth, religious & service groups are welcome!
Join us for the next garden rebuild workday, Saturday April 24th, 10am-2pm. RSVP here
Contact Growing Hope if you are interested having a plot or helping with the rebuild. The new Perry Community Garden will reopen, Saturday May 15th during the Ypsi Pride Celebration!
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Growing Hope by the Numbers!
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30 diverse vendors attended our DYFM Vendor Orientation at Spark East. We're so excited to have a mix of returning and new vendors! Meet them early at our Pre-Season Kickoff, April 20th!
 5 hardworking youth from MSU Extension's 4-H Program volunteered all day last Thursday. They helped shape our new Perry Community Garden and offered helping hands at the Growing Hope Center.
20 caring volunteers joined us this past Saturday at our Growing Hope Center Volunteer Day! We harvested fresh greens from the hoophouse and prepped the outdoor garden beds.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our community!
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Growing Hope
Board of Directors
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E. Daniel Ayres
Angela Barbash
Mark Barbieri
Pauline Bigby
Ellen Bunting
Lynne Chaimowitz
Kristen Cuhran
Patty Donahue
Jessica French
Melvin Gaines
David Palmer
Sharon Sheldon
Amanda Maria Edmonds
Executive Director
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Support Growing Hope with A Gift Today!
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If you support our work and want it to see it continue to blossom, please consider making a tax-deductible online donation today! |
Ypsi Urban Farmer Breakfast!
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Interested in urban agriculture, local food and
sustainability?
Join us for our monthly Ypsi Urban Farmer Breakfast this Thursday, April 15th, 7:30AM at Bombadill's.
All are welcome to network, strategize, and dream up creative ways we can support each
other and the community. |
Become a Farmers' Market Vendor!
| We're now accepting Farmers' Market Vendor applications for the 2010 Season of our Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers' Market. Learn more about the market and read our
2009 Season Report.
Interested in becoming a vendor? Download an application, and apply now!
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| New Volunteer Opportunities! | Raised Bed Builds
Come
help us build raised garden beds on any or all of the following dates:
April 14 at 1 PM, April 16 at 12 PM, April 23 (time TBD), and April 24
from 10 AM to 2 PM. For April 24, please RSVP now!
Spring Plant Sale
Volunteers
with horticulture or gardening knowledge are needed to help answer
questions during our Spring Plant Sale, April 30, May 1, and May 15.
We are also looking for help potting before the sale dates.
Downtown Ypsilanti
Farmers' Market
It's
time! Volunteers are needed for Tuesday market days to help with
setup, tear-down, greeting/counting, and taking pictures. We are also
looking for assistance planning special events at the market.
Please contact Jeremy at jeremy@growinghope.net or see our website for more information. |
Growing Hope's
7th Birthday Party!
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We want to thank to all of our supporters over the past seven years. Our work wouldn't happen without you! Please share in our celebration
Sunday, May 23rd, 2-5pm.
Our Birthday Party is a family-friendly
event--a chance for visits, tours, and springtime activities at the Growing Hope Center.
There will also be an eclectic silent auction featuring goods and services from
our vibrant community!
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Become a Fan of our new Facebook PAGE. Please invite your friends & family to join--we're trying to reach 1,000 Fans!
Do you have $5 to help families grow healthy food? Join up with our Facebook Cause if you're not already connected. Make a small gift and encourage your friends to do the same.
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| Join our list |
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Sincerely,
Amanda (Executive Director), Elissa & Karen (Program Managers), Liz (Office Manager),
Adrianne (Marketing), Jeremy (Volunteer Coordinator), Wendy (Community Organizer),
Gabe (Youth & Education), JP (Farm Manager) , Ryan (Farmers' Market), and Sarah (MSW Intern)!
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