Subject: May Newsletter: Sunshine! Growth! Hard Work!

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FRESH New London
Dear Friends,

The plants sales are done. And now the real work begins! Getting all those plants in the ground at the 8 different sites where FRESH is growing food this year. 

And then taking care of all those plants and keeping them alive and watered will be the work... 

And then, harvesting.... 

But all this work serves many purposes! 

We chat and share with one another as we are working, joke and laugh and learn more about each other's lives. We're outside, and witnessing all the vibrancy of New London and it happens around us. We're connecting with people as they walk by and painting a picture of what will be! "Watch this space," we tell them, "soon these tiny plants will be feeding you tomatoes!" 

Our garden spaces have been busy. Last Thursday, the FRESH Urban Farm and Education center played host to New London's Early Childhood Family Center and 21 kids under the age of 4 and one awesome 10 year old climbed our compost and topsoil piles, planted beans, dug for worms and generally made a good old fashioned mess-- in the best sense of that word. 


Let's Get Growing, 
The FRESH Staff
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Thoughts from a daily visitor to the FRESH Urban Farm

Work Day on June 15th: Join Us to Move Soil and Plant! 

Why I Love the FRESH Garden:
Thoughts from a(n almost) Daily Visitor 
Eithne Moran is a community gardener who lives nearby with her husband and daughter. We have become accustomed to seeing Eithne and a gaggle of kids at the garden almost every day, even when it is cold, chilly and damp! We finally asked her why she makes the FRESH garden part of her daily activities. 

Here's what she said: 
I have been coming to the garden for a few years now with my daughter and her friends. We love watching them be so creative when they go there daily.

I feel that nature plays such a vital role in the children's development and they can fully engage all their senses in a safe environment here at the community garden. This would not happen if they were inside stuck watching TV.

Outdoor play has fostered the kids' cognitive and social/ emotional development. They get to plant, water and tend to their plot and taste the vegetables when they are ripe. Our tomatoes never make it back to the house as they love them so much.

They have learned that worms are our friends in the soil and grubs are not. I have loved seeing how they were petrified of worms initially but by now the kids pick them up and look at them.

I try to follow Maria Montessori's educational philosophies in raising our daughter and the community garden has been a wonderful place to do this. It's just an exciting sensory experience for them all.... plus it helps them sleep better at night!

Thanks, Eithne! Kids of all ages and sizes are welcome to the FRESH Urban Farm and Education Center. They just need to know where they can play and dig, and where fragile plants need to be left alone. More families and kids are following Eithne's example and coming regularly!!
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Interested in supporting FRESH with a 
tax-deductible donation?

Of course you are!
 
Follow this link: 
http://www.freshnewlondon.org/support-us 
PO Box 285, New london, CT 06320, United States
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