Thursday, March 7^th, 2013 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Brown County Central Library Auditorium in Green Bay

New Leaf Foods and Sustainable Green Bay invite you to a panel presentation about creating Incredible Edible Landscapes in your yard. Learn how you can turn even the smallest spaces into productive and beautiful urban ecological islands–growing food for people and pollinators.

Local experts will share their experience and knowledge on the following topics:

• “Yardening” – A blissful yard/gardening marriage.  A presentation encouraging an eco-friendly and yummy landscapes.

Margaret Gerhard – (a.k.a. “mother nature”) is an artist, teacher, student, dreamer, and ardent environmentalist.

• “Permaculture” – The basics of Permaculture including a brief description of what it is about.

Ted Skenandore – an Oneida Tribal member, who works as the Agricultural Supervisor at Tsyunhehkwa, the Certified Organic Farm for the Tribe. Graduate of the CUA (Commercial Urban Agriculture) course at Growing Power in Milwaukee. Diploma of Indigenous Permaculture Design

• “Heirlooms & Diversity” – Growing heirloom vegetables and flowers for the preservation of agricultural biodiversity. Especially the preservation of genetic variability by maintaining heirloom plant varieties.

Vicki Medland – Associate Director of the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity at UW Green Bay & Master Gardener

• “Nutritious Landscaping” – Let the edibles escape from the vegetable garden.  Add texture, color, and seasonal interest when you inter-plant beautiful food-producing plants throughout your yard.

Joanne Kaiser Gardner – Nutrition Consultant (MS, RD), Master Gardner

We hope you will join us for the evening!

Now in its third year the Three Corners Community Garden continues to grow and expand.  The garden

is located on University Avenue between the Golden House and Saint George Street.

It started with eight 20’ X 20’ plots which were leased to interested individuals or groups and secured with a security deposit and a 20’ X 40’ communal plot where volunteers were responsible for planting, maintaining, and harvesting.  Vegetables are given to volunteers, and donated to local organizations.  This plot may change from year to year, but will always be clearly marked. Initial funding for this project came from a grant from Neighborworks Green Bay, the Norbertine Volunteer Community, and the Green Bay Neighborhood Leadership Council (GBNLC).

Last year, through the support of Saint Norbert College Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Chapter and Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, three raised beds were constructed and assembled in order to accommodate disabled residents who were interested in gardening.

This year because of growing demand we extended our leased plots to twelve of which eleven are being utilized. In addition, Noah Berg from Troop 1563 approached our group with an Eagle Scout Project request.  His project consisted of constructing and assembling fifteen 4’ X 8’ raised boxes along with finding ways to fund the project.  This year we are using these boxes for our communal garden.  The seeds and plants for the communal garden have been donated by Seymour Park Garden, Lindsley’s Green House, and Three Corners Neighborhood Association.  The garden is also encouraging neighborhood and community interaction.  Nicolet Elementary School has sixty students enrolled for their Summer School Gardening Program and has leased three 20’ X 20’ plots.  The Boys and Girls Club has also leased one 20’ X 20’ plot and will be helping to assist with the communal garden.  Their plan is to teach children the “seed to feed” concept.  By growing your own herbs and vegetables, you can feed your family healthier and more affordably.  Rain barrels supply water for the gardens.

Thanks to all the volunteers and organizations that have contributed in making Three Corners Community Garden a great success.  If you wish to lease a plot, volunteer with the communal plot, or are in need of vegetables please contact: Norbertine Volunteer Community, 920-403-2944, nvc@norbertines.org. You can also follow the progress of the Three Corners Community Garden by liking Three Corners Neighborhood Association Facebook or visiting http://greenbaywi.gov/3corners/.

At the Seymour Park Community Garden, we are busy harvesting! We are in the middle of our third year of growing food, sharing gardening knowledge, and sharing food with our neighbors.

Over the past few weeks alone we have harvested more than 50 pounds of food to share with the First Presbyterian Church food pantry and Seymour Park kids and families. We have expanded the kids’ gardening program thanks to the hard work and dedication of our two summer AmeriCorps*VISTAs. We now have an upcycled materials curriculum (e.g., making watering cans out of milk jugs); we added a field trip to the Broadway farmers’ market and a subsequent Good Food Fest using food purchased at the market; we expanded our curriculum from last year to include more gardening and nutrition lessons; and we have had more experts in the garden, including bug and bird experts and an expert from Tsyunhehkw^, the Oneida Nation’s organic agriculture farm.

We are proud to have increased the use of upcycled materials in the garden. Our raised beds, various support structures for tomato plants, bean racks, bird baths and pollinator attractors are constructed from found and donated materials. Our vision is to model gardening alternatives that are affordable and easy to use so as to inspire neighbors to have their own backyard or porch garden. Next year we hope to install an olla and soaker hose irrigation system, and a vertical agriculture structure that will increase our growing space…up!

Community Garden Night is every Tuesday from 5pm – 7pm. Check out what we’re up to – our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Seymour-Park-Neighborhood-Association/156335737738777; our Tumblr blog: http://seymourparkcommunitygarden.tumblr.com. If you have questions about the garden, please contact Margaret Kubek at mekubek@gmail.com.

Jeff Metoxen  explained that the Tsyunhehkw^ Community Garden is one facet of the Oneida Nation Tsyunhehkw^’s program, which includes agriculture and cannery.

We require organic gardening techniques and prohibit the use of GMO or treated seeds and conventional fertilizers. Whatever the gardeners decide to grow is theirs to do with as they wish. However, we encourage our growers to talk with one another about what each one is growing and to sell at the Oneida Farmer’s Market.

Our horticultural staff is available to help you with any of your gardening questions. If we don’t know the answer we will find it for you.  If people need help putting away their food for future use we also have a community cannery available for a small fee. The Oneida Nation provides the land, gardening information and classes, some plants and seeds, fencing, initial tilling, and water for the garden; all the rest of the work and tools are supplied by individual family gardeners.

Franklin Middle School Natural Landscape Garden is the largest public prairie garden in the city of Green Bay. It was planted by students, staff and community volunteers.

It features beautiful plants, including queen of the prairie, Michigan lily, indigo, and several asters and coneflowers. Kids enjoy the wild strawberries, onions, and raspberries.

The Gathering Place Garden was started this year.  The garden site is located on the corner of Webster Ave. and Cherry St., behind the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) house on Cherry St.  NAMI oversees the Gathering Place on the next block of Cherry St., which is the local drop-in recovery center for those with mental illness.

The purpose of the garden is to provide a place for Gathering Place members to participate in gardening and enjoy the produce.  Support from donations and volunteer help has made this project possible.

Not sure where the gardens are? Take a look at this map: SGB Community Gardens Tour 2012

We hope to see you there!

Use this pamphlet to learn more about the new sharrows and bike lanes and how to use them as both a driver and a cyclist: Brochure-Sharing the Streets.

The City of Green Bay has repealed and recreated Section 8.11 Green Bay Municipal Code regarding noxious weeds and vegetation. The new ordinance involves noxious weeds and maintenance of vegetation with the purpose to prohibit the uncontrolled growth of vegetation and to control noxious weeds, while permitting the planting and maintenance of planned natural landscaping that adds diversity and richness to the quality of life. It is in the public’s interest to encourage diverse landscaping treatments; particularly those that encourage the preservation, restoration and management of native plant communities which can be economical, low maintenance and effective in soil and water conservation.

 For more information:

APPROVED – 8 11 – Noxious Weeds and Unsightly Plant Growth

A PowerPoint Presentation regarding Natural Landscapes can be found here!

Here is all the information you will need, hope to see you on Saturday, May 5 2012!

3rd Annual Green Parade and Eco-Block Party!

-Determine your power grid region based on electric utility.
-Compare the fuel mix & air emissions rates of the electricity in your region to the national average.
-Determine the air emissions impacts of electricity use in your home or business.

The second garden that was visited was Seymour Park Community Garden, where the catch phrase is “Everything we grow is shared with the community!” The Seymour Community Garden is sponsored by the Seymour Park Neighborhood Association. On two city lots, the Seymour Park Community Garden grows vegetables that are donated to local food pantries, community residents and children in the park. The Seymour Park Community Garden partners with the Green Bay Park and Recreation Department to teach children in the neighborhood about gardening, nutrition and civic engagement. The garden relies heavily on volunteer involvement and the food is shared with local food pantries.

The third garden visited was the University Avenue Community Garden, located on a city lot on University Avenue between Golden House and St. George Street. The University Avenue Community Garden included traditional ground level plots as well as raised boxes to accommodate the accessibility needs of local residents. In partnership with the Three Corners Neighborhood Association, Norbertine Volunteer Community and local residents, the garden combines leased and community growing opportunities. Produce is currently shared among participating residents, Golden House residents and those who express a need. The garden received grants from the Lowe foundation and the St. Norbert Business Student Organization for materials for the raised beds; and the neighboring Norbertine Volunteer Community supplies the water.

The City of Green Bay won a marketing campaign back in May of this year. Here are the posters displayed in the Brown County Library! Look for them all around our city displayed in local businesses! Remember, small steps lead to big change!

See the Green Bay, Take a Step tab above for more details!