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| It's our favorite time of year -- growing season! We've been working to finalize our Mobile Market schedule (almost there! Check for more stops to be added toward the end of this month) and preparing our veggies for our first CSA pickup on June 18. Come visit us and get some organic produce from the local youth who grew it for you! |
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In this issue:
- Pick up some delicious FRESH food!
- A new home for FRESH
- Last call for summer crew!
- Farm-to-school update
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Coming soon to New London: FRESH food! |
| | | MARK YOUR CALENDARS! CSA share distribution begins Wednesday, June 18, and continues for 20 weeks. Subscribers can pick up their shares at Connecticut College's Steel House, Fiddleheads Natural Food Cooperative or the FRESH Community Garden. Our first Mobile Market stop is June 25 at the Community Garden, with a full schedule beginning July 1. We're still adding New London and out-of-town stops |
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| to our schedule, so check our website for the latest. Our first out-of-town stop is Wequonnoc School in the Taftville section of Norwich on June 26!
Prices for the Mobile Market (and CSA) are based on a sliding scale to be accessible to all. We accept cash, check, credit cards, EBT/SNAP and FMNP coupons. Proceeds support agricultural educational programs for youth and the whole community. |
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| | Big plans at FRESH for a big move this summer |
| | In a couple of weeks, we'll move into the downstairs of Miracle Temple, at 45 Broad St, just a half-mile walk from our current site on Garfield Avenue. The new space, much larger than our current one, offers a kitchen, sunny office space, and plenty of classrooms and programming space for hands-on activities -- it's a perfect environment for food system and youth development work! |
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| FRESH and the church are hoping to turn the space into a community space for multiple youth-serving organizations in New London. We are currently discussing space-sharing arrangements with three other organizations, and we'll keep you updated on the progress. |
| We moved to our current site in November, so we haven't been here long. Unfortunately, due to issues beyond our control, we've been unable to |
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| realize our goal of a creating youth-focused collaborative space here. We remain committed to building that capacity in New London, and that's why we're relocating and pursuing new relationships. |
| Our new resources enable us to engage the whole community in transforming the food system. Thanks for your support during this time of change, and I hope you'll consider helping us with our move! |
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Your donation to FRESH supports sustainable agriculture, youth development, and a fairer food system for all! Make checks out to FRESH/TSNE, 90 Garfield Ave., Box 285, New London, CT, 06320 or donate using Paypal/credit cards at our website. Thank you for all your support! |
| | Last call for summer crew! |
| New London youth: Still not sure how you'll be spending your summer vacation? Check out the FRESH crew! |
| Applications for new summer crew members are due June 16 and can be submitted via mail to our office (90 Garfield Ave., Box 285, New London, CT, 06320) or handed-in at the New London High School career office during their summer business hours. You can also scan a filled-out application and send it to us via email. |
| Crew work hard and play hard, and earn a stipend for all they do. They spend a lot of long hours learning organic gardening through growing healthy food at our farm, and they bring that delicious food into subsidized and senior housing through our Mobile Market. |
| They make new friends, and together they learn how the food system is, and dream big about what it could be. |
| Crew workshops focus on team-building, leadership, professionalism and food preparation and preservation. Youth-led workshops will include issues of social justice in the food system. |
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| | FRESH's Summer 2013 crew members pose after their final presentation. |
| Interested in joining our crew? High school students (entering 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grades in the fall; recent high school graduates are accepted only after we have exhausted our waiting lists) are eligible to learn practical agriculture/professional skills and earn stipends as part of our youth crew. The six-week summer crew program runs Tuesdays through Saturdays beginning July 8.
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Building a farm-to-school network with youth and farmers |
| The Farm Fresh New London County Schools Initiative is growing in three key areas: youth involvement with farm-to-school work, school garden support and capacity building/data collection from schools and farms across the county. |
| Youth involvement: This month, two FRESH Junior Staff helped create a Farm-to-School Youth Ambassador Program, where high school students living in or attending school in New London County encourage and support the implementation of Farm-to-School activities in their districts. Youth interested in local food and school gardens are invited to contact the countywide Farm-to-School Coordinator for more information. |
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| School gardens: Recognizing the need for a regional support network for school gardeners in our county, we are taking the first steps to pull this group together. Together with school garden leaders and interested schools, we are creating plans to help us create resources, share best practices and learn about what is happening around our county. |
| Data collection: We are looking at how we collect data from schools and farmers about the state of farm-to-school efforts in New London County, and how we can improve. Our next step is to survey produce farmers throughout the county. If you grow produce and would like to take our survey, please contact us! |
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| | To keep up with all things Farm to School in New London County, like our Facebook page! |
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