Elk Grove Community Garden Vegetable Plant Sale

Buy Locally Grown Vegetable Plants

Hampton Oaks - The Elk Grove Community Garden will be hosting their annual Vegetable Plant Sale on April 19th, 2014, from 9 am - Noon.  Join them at the Elk Grove Community Garden and Learning Center, 10025 Hampton Oak Drive, Elk Grove. 

There will be many varieties of tomato plants for sale, along with peppers, squash and herbs. Most vegetables are $1.

As a bonus, a Master Gardener will be present to answer any questions.

Thank you for supporting the community garden. By supporting them, you help support the Elk Grove Food Bank. (The EG Community Garden has approximately 26 plots dedicated to the EG Food Bank.  Thank you very much!!)

Map of Elk Grove Community Garden

Arlene Hein Elementary Schools' Garden of Abundance

Welcome To Our Garden

Background - On May 9, 2013, Arlene Hein students, staff and parents, Hein alumnus, Home Dept representatives and Boy Scout Jason Li commemorated the expansion of the garden.

Jason Li raised funds for the 12 redwood planter boxes and built the garden with help from his Boy Scout Troop. This was Jason Li's Eagle Scout project in 2012. In 2013 Home Depot partnered with Hein and donated small citrus trees, organic fertilizer, marigold flowers (to keep the bugs away from the tomato plants), the redwood pergola, fruit and vegetable seedlings and gardening tools. What a great partner!

In August 2013, the school had donated 25 lbs of veggies to the Elk Grove Food Bank! The garden has been a wonderful hands-on learning experience for the students and staff as well. Mrs. Fennell's 6th Grade class even wrote about their observations. And, in February 2014, Goldy Shergill dropped off more veggies! Ms. Shergill had this to say, "We have donated over 80 lbs. of fresh vegetables and herbs since we started the garden in the Spring of 2013. It could not have been possible without Kristin Thompson Mullard, Judy Mead-Silaj, Christine Baeta and Student Leaders at Hein Elementary!" 

Kindergarten teachers Kristin Mullard and Judy Meade are ardent supporters of the garden. Here are more pictures from the garden, courtesy of Ms. Mullard.

View of the garden's raised beds

Tomatoes

Gorgeous sunflower

Time to plant the lettuce

Check out those seedlings they grew!

This month we (my grandson Jayce and I) were given a tour of the garden at the end of the winter growing season.  The plants were well attended, and the school is looking forward to the next upgrade - drip irrigation. This will really help with water conservation and watering over the summer.

Here are some pics from that day:

An artichoke - it's not as big as it looks.

Beets

Cauliflower

An Herb?

My grandson and I really enjoyed and appreciated the time that Mrs. Mullard and Mrs. Meade spent showing us around the garden.  We even got to take home a radish and a cauliflower. Yummy!

Does your elementary school have a garden? Do you share your veggies with the Elk Grove Food Bank? Comment and add your pictures here!

Helping the Homeless of Elk Grove

You're Never Too Young...

Sophia Levasseur, a Joseph Sims Elementary School 4th grader, is learning at an early age, how rewarding volunteering can be.  After a busy week of school, violin and tap dance lessons and rehearsals for her upcoming performance in CATS by the River City Theatre Company, she makes time to help others. 

                              (Pictured with Sophia is her grandmother, Marie Levasseur,                                who has been a volunteer at the Food Bank since 2006.)

Recently, she prepared 34 hygiene bags for homeless clients of the Elk Grove Food Bank. Sophia carefully filled each bag with donated hygiene supplies.  She would like to continue filling bags at home. A variety of toiletry supplies, for example: toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and specific men's and women's items are needed to continue this project. 

The Elk Grove Food Bank and the homeless greatly appreciate Sophia’s efforts!  If you can donate toiletry items please drop them off at the Elk Grove Food Bank. 

The Food Bank is located at 9820 Dino Dr. #140, Elk Grove.

5,323 Thanks to the Elk Grove Community Garden!

The Elk Grove Community Garden donated a grand total of 5,323 pounds of fresh produce and herbs during its garden year March, 2013 - February 2014. 

The Community Garden is entering its 10th growing season and continues to be very successful and one of the best community gardens in the Sacramento area. What a great way to get healthy food on the table to those in need!  EGFBS is extremely grateful for the generous support and partnership over the years.

In the Community Garden there are approximately 26 EGFBS plots. Would it amaze you to learn that members volunteered over 1,528 hours working in  the garden? Whew!  

This Herb Garden was originally an EGFBS Support Works project through a Career Class. It was designed to be a Tea Garden. The class designed the layout, submitted it for Board approval, and then got to work. It has pathways, a drip irrigation system and plants. It has been transformed into an Herb Garden.

Elk Grove is a great community!

Elk Grove Food Bank Services Will Open on Saturdays

Beginning in April, the Elk Grove Food Bank Services (EGFBS) will be open on Saturdays thanks to a partnership with Elk Grove PATH-EG WINS.  Over thirty volunteers from the EG WINS Winter Sanctuary program have pulled together to lend a hand and make a commitment to help make this possible. In an effort to best meet the needs of families and individuals experiencing hardship, especially those who work during the day, EGFBS will now offer food and clothing on Saturdays starting April 5.

“Elk Grove PATH is excited to assist the Food Bank on Saturdays,” said Ed Kelly, one of the community leaders spearheading the new service day. “We think this will really help many working people who can’t come on a weekday.”

“Elk Grove Food Bank Services serves an incredible need, and I am thrilled to able to expand our service hours on Saturdays," said Marie Jachino, Executive Director. “We are extremely proud to partner with Elk Grove PATH/EG WINS supporting such a critical mission.  We don’t see an end in sight to the ever - growing levels of hunger.”

Since 1974 – “40 years,” the Elk Grove Food Bank Services has battled hunger and food insecurity in the Elk Grove and surrounding communities. The Food Bank provides food and others services to over 3,000 people each month.

When:  Saturdays starting April 5, 2014, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Where:  9820 Dino Drive, Suite 140

            Elk Grove, CA  95624

More Information is available at www.elkgrovefoodbank.org.

March is National Nutrition Month - Focus on Fruit

10 Tips Focus on Fruit

It's true that nowadays people are concerned about their sugar intake. However, the abundance of sugar that people are putting in their bodies...they're drinking it. You know, sugary sodas in large quantities multiple times a day. Or, it's in a candy bar, or cereal, or ice cream. It is NOT from eating a piece of fruit. Or a handful.

Check out Sophie Egan's New York Times article, "Making the Case for Eating Fruit." Fruit can help us from overeating. Because fruit rich in fiber breaks down slower than processed food (think potato chips), it triggers "...the satiety hormones that tend to cluster further down the small intestines." And, who doesn't like to feel sated?

Click Here for 10 Tips that focus on fruit and eating more of it! Tell us which tips you have integrated into your life.

On another note, have your registered for the Run 4 Independence benefiting the EG Food Bank? See you there on June 28th!

March is National Nutrition Month - 30 Tips

Eating Healthy on the Run – 30 Tips

You always eat breakfast because… let’s all say it together “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”

So, that leaves lunch and dinner.  Sure, it’s better to pack your lunch, and eat dinner at home.  But, these tips are for those other times...those rare times. Check out these Tips for healthy eating while you’re out and about. These tips will work in restaurants, sandwich shops, fast food as well as ethnic restaurants.

For me, Tip #7 will be the hardest; I'm a carboholic. And, there are so many different kinds of bread: rolls, muffins, french bread....okay, I'll stop.  Which Tip resonates with you?

Check out “HealthyEating on the Run: A Month of Tips.”

 Next time, we'll talk about eating healthy on a budget!

March - It's National Nutrition Month

Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

When you're shopping for groceries, do you shop with a list, and stick to it? Do you shop with your stomach and eyes? And, I'm talking about usually here. Sure, there are those occasional (right?) times that you are in a hurry and pick up something quick to eat. But, I'm talking about when you've had time to plan out your meals. You want to get the most taste and nutrition for the money.

Would you agree that the foods you eat most often are the ones you like? Therefore, you want to make good, informed choices so you can develop healthy eating habits. Everyone's so busy these days: working, playing, raising kids, going back to school, volunteering, etc.  

So, before you go shopping, here is a link to help you at the grocery store. Check out "Shop Smart - Get theFacts on Food Labels."

But remember, portion size is as important as good nutrition.  Next time we'll talk about healthy eating on the go!