When we think of January in Kansas and Missouri, ‘gardening’ is generally not the first word that comes to mind. Cold temperatures are a time for our gardens to rest and our soil, with all the wonderful little microbes living within, to rejuvenate. This rest period is crucial and truly something to be thankful for […]
Light and Latkes!
I’ve been catching some good sunsets from the Schoolyard Gardens office these past few weeks as the hours of daylight have been fleeting. There’s a serene stillness in the garden at this point of the season, and the arrival of the winter solstice this weekend felt like a natural and necessary pause right before we […]
Schoolyard Gardens 2019 Community Impact
As growing season comes to an end, the garden to do list become shorter and we take inventory of 2019! In 2019, Schoolyard Gardens welcomed 17 new schools to the program. Making a grand total of 220 schools enrolled and actively gardening! This means 17,225 students learned about plant life, nutrition and trying fresh fruits […]
Covering Garden Beds and Jotting Garden Memories
There’s something bittersweet about covering Schoolyard Garden beds at the end of the fall into winter season. The Schoolyard Gardens team uses landscape fabric or burlap to cover garden beds after they’ve been cleared of garden debris to ensure that they’ll be ready for planting come springtime. The fabric suppresses any pesky weeds that inevitably […]
Recipes that Use Thanksgiving Leftovers
Food, family, friends, and more food. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday! Once the main feast is over though, I inevitably have, So. Many. Leftovers. If this scenario sounds familiar, check out these wonderful Thanksgiving leftover recipes to keep the feast going! Spice up that side dish with Leftover Sweet Potato Hummus Swap out […]
Schoolyard Garden Spotlight: Southwood Elementary Garden Club
Did you know that sweet potatoes are the most sensitive vegetable to freezing temperatures? If left outside in the cold the tubers become mealy and inedible. On the day Southwood Elementary planned to harvest their sweet potatoes, they were very aware that they only had a small window of time before that evenings freezing temperature […]
Missouri Healthy Food AmeriCorps: Adventures in St. Louis
It’s hard to believe that I’m in my fourth month of service with the KCCG Schoolyard Gardens team. These past few months have been fulfilling and fun, and I feel incredibly fortunate to serve alongside fellow KCCG AmeriCorps members: Abby Ewert (Beanstalk Children’s Garden), Colleen Freeman (Family Gardens), Priest Hughes (Community Partner Gardens), and Sarah […]
Don’t Forget To Plant Your Garlic!
The weather has started to turn cold, you’re having cozy thoughts of being indoors with a hot cup of tea/coffee/cider, and your schoolyard garden is hopefully cleared out and ready to rest for winter. But wait! There is one more delicious and nutritious vegetable to plant in your schoolyard garden – Garlic! Follow these easy […]
Volunteer of the Year Luncheon
As the fall growing season winds down, KCCG takes this time to celebrate everyone who volunteered their time at the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. Without the help of our volunteers the Schoolyard Gardens wouldn’t be the sustainable program it is today. This year we are proud to announce that the Schoolyard Gardens nominated Ms.Toni Gatlin for […]
Schoolyard Gardens Spotlight: Troost Elementary LINC
I arrived to Troost Elementary LINC to plant fall veggies on an especially humid August afternoon, and was greeted by students who were ready to garden…In their pajamas (for school spirit week, of course!). My initial weeks of AmeriCorps service were filled with many firsts but until arriving at Troost Elementary, I would have never […]