Welcome 2013

 

What a a year 2012 was.  But before we recap our past year, a special thank you is in order to all of you, our loyal supporters who have made everything possible.  Thanks to all of you, donations came in without a single request from Grow Benzie, making this our best year ever .  It has given us the foundation to build off in 2013, to expand our programs.  What a wonderful Christmas present you gave Grow Benzie!  And thanks so much for remembering us in your year end planning.

 

Let's talk about 2012 and what was accomplished:

 

*  The hoop house at Platte River Elementary was completed.  Outreach programs in combination with MLUI/ FoodCorps expanded knowledge of growing plants through tasting what was grown in delicious offerings. (see main article).  We hope to continue expansion of this program, both at Platte River and beginning at Betsie Valley Elementary. 

 

* Funding for a second hoop house, through collaboration with MLUI and NCRS, we were able to secure funding for a second hoop house which will be built at Betsie Valley Elementary this spring.   Funding for supplies for both schools was received from The Michigan Council of Foundations.

 

* Bridge Cards Accepted at our Farmers Market created opportunities for more people  to receive fresh produce plus double their buying power through the Double Up Food Bucks program.  Grow Benzie has been promoting this to reach as many people as possible and have assisted in the administration for other Farmers Markets.

 

* Our gardens and additional 2nd green house managed to supply fresh produce for the food banks even though all of Michigan suffered from severe draught conditions. We hope for better weather this year and are currently interviewing for a greenhouse manager.

 

* The Garden Party-our major fundraising event was a huge success.  Enough money was raised for our match with the USDA grant  to allow us to proceed and complete the incubator kitchen.  The kitchen will be a multifunctional facility for diverse use. It will be available for people who want to make a product to retail, chefs and caterers, classes in nutrition and cooking, and individuals for their own use.

 

* The kitchen was completed this fall and is the only certified incubator kitchen in Northern Michigan.  Currently we are working to develop the rules and regulations needed to run an operation successfully, including the programs to help people create their own income and small businesses. 

 

* Classes, classes, classes.  We expanded classes in all areas- agriculture, nutrition, sewing, crafts, and building small businesses.  Classes are directed at developing skills and job training that will support finding and creating jobs along with growing a healthier community.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Sponsors

 

The following article is by Grow Benzie volunteer Bonnie Smith who has been working with the Platte River Elementary School this past year.  

  

GROW BENZIE PARTNERSHIP WITH PLATTE RIVER SCHOOL & MLUI/FOODCORPS

 

Driving north through Honor, one glimpses a garden hoop house, nestled on the hillside behind Platte River Elementary School.  The structure is a symbol of an exciting venture between several organizations - Platte River School, GrowBenzie, MLUI/FoodCorps and HARP.  A grant secured by Grow Benzie made it possible to purchase materials to build the hoop house. Under the skillful direction of agriculture consultant, Craig Schaaf, and a volunteer crew of teachers and Grow Benzie members, the greenhouse was handily completed.  

  

 

Grow Benzie & MLUI/FoodCorps, share a similar mission leading to the partnership.  Both are dedicated to enriching the lives of children by "fostering self-reliance through education in agriculture and nutrition ... and doing so by teaching kids what healthy food is and where it comes from."  Added to that is Platte River School, providing the site, the children, and the teachers to complete this wonderful undertaking.

 

FoodCorps volunteers, Kirsten Gerbatsch and Daniel Marbury, are in Year Two managing the Platte River initiative.  In late September Kirsten led 6th graders in preparing the soil - both inside and outside the Hoop House. This involved measuring the land to make rows of raised garden beds; tilling the soil with shovels; aerating it with long-forks; digging in special nutrients; raking the mounds for seeding; placing hay between & around the beds to make walkways for gardeners to move around easily; and finally having 3rd graders seed the garden beds. 
 

Eureka!!  A handsome garden created in one day by many helping hands.  Every other week students spend time with Kirsten at the Hoop House, nurturing their seedlings by weeding and watering, and learning about all the things that will make their very own garden vigorous and its yielding crop delicious.  The kids are amazed how soon the seedlings began to push through the soil, and stretch for the sun.

 

A week ago they spotted tiny red radish heads peeking through the soil under their bushy green tops.  Those will be harvested shortly after Thanksgiving.  Eventually a handsome crop of carrots, beans, peas, rainbow chard, kale, and lettuce - among others - will mature.  Outside, cover crops of rye and beans will nourish the soil with the nitrogen they give off during the winter months.  By spring, that garden will be ready for tilling and planting of other vegetables.

 

Grow Benzie volunteers, Jackie Hice, Sharon Mckeon, Diane Wilbur, Deb Query, and Bonnie Smith worked both with planting and harvesting to preparing delicious tastings with the children.  Grow Benzie believes in introducing children to good foods, especially ones grown by the children themselves, to change eating patterns and instill healthy eating habits early on.  

 

Inside Platte River School, Daniel presented 4th - 6th graders with all the beautiful 'straight-from-the-farm' produce necessary to make wonderful taste treats. In Session 1 fourth graders made salsa from tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, cilantro, herbs and lemons (from a Florida garden!).  The kids, divided into 4 groups, then cut, chopped, measured and stirred to create their own special salsa.  Wonderful scents floated through both the classroom and corridors.   A 'Choose Your Favorite Salsa Contest' was then held at lunchtime in the cafeteria. All students in grades K-6 had the opportunity to 'taste-test' each of the four salsas with healthy corn chips, and then vote for their favorite. Salsa Entry #4 won, and #3 was second place.  The experience - for gardeners, chefs and tasters alike - was a hit.

 

In other sessions, varieties of squash and beans, - garlic and onions - and seasonings were prepared by the kids to create dips, quesadillas, soups and stews. These were again taste-tested.

 

Daniel, Kirsten, and the other volunteers will continue to create gardening, food preparation and cooking experiences with kids at Platte River during the school year.  Math, science, social studies, writing, art, and other educational elements will be utilized in the learning process.  One of the best parts will be eating what is grown and then created in the kitchen.  

We hope you'll look forward to our new stories about the Worm Farm, a Three Sisters Indian Legend that began well before settlers arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony, as well as the many new learning experiences that will be offered to the children at Platte River Elementary School in the coming months.

 

Grow Benzie welcomes all volunteers to participate in this exciting project. Fun is part of the requirement and you're sure to enjoy yourself.   If you'd like more information call:

Deb 231 882 9801