GrowNYC Education

 

December 2022

Workshops FreshConnect Information Session Virtual Workshop January 10, 2023, 4 to 6 PM This free training is available to nonprofit organizations and community groups interested in operating a food box or farm stand in their neighborhoods. We will provide general FreshConnect background and details about ordering produce through GrowNYC Wholesale. RSVP Here Herbal Care and Remedies Virtual Workshop Highlight Watch the recording of our workshop hosted on July 22, 2020, which was part of our Summer Garden Series. We learned the health properties of herbs, how to dry your own herbs, and how to make recipes for herbal-infused oils, sprays, body scrubs, and more!  View Here Cold Weather Crops Virtual Workshop Highlight Want to extend your growing season into the cooler weather? Watch our workshop "Cold Weather Crops: Low Tunnels and High Tunnels" to learn how to use tunnels to extend your growing season, and what types of plants work well for colder weather growing.  View Here Register Your School Garden All DOE K-12 public and charter schools can register with GrowNYC School Gardens. Once you register, you'll have access to our free programming, supplies, and technical assistance from our team.  If you've registered your school in the past, make sure it's up to date - you must renew your registration each year in order to be eligible for upcoming giveaways and opportunities.  Questions about registration? Email schoolgardens@grownyc.org Check out our School Garden Guides and register! Register with GrowNYC Here Grant Opportunities Grants for school garden and sustainability projects: Aldi Cares Community Grants Deadline: December 15, 2022 KidsGardening Youth Garden Grant Deadline: December 17, 2022 Karma 4 Cara Deadline: Rolling but reviewed January 1, 2023 Apples 4 Education Deadline: January 25, 2023 CCNY All In Neighborhood Grants Deadline: January 30, 2023 Green Our Planet Deadline: Rolling EcoRise Student Innovation Fund Always open Little Tree Huggers Grant Deadline: Rolling Hudson Valley Seed Co Seed Donations Deadline: Rolling Future Farmers of America Grants Deadline: Rolling From Our Partners DOE Office of Sustainability The NYC Department of Education Office of Sustainability and Sarah Slack, veteran DOE teacher and member of the Climate Education Leadership Team, are partnering to bring you an exciting three-day, in-person training program, "Building Community Resilience in a Changing Climate", for teams of two 5th-10th grade teachers! Register by Monday, December 12th. Big Reuse and NYC Compost Project NYC Compost Project Hosted by Big Reuse and Brook Park are hosting a Compost Giveback! Get up to 5 bags of compost for use in tree pits, community gardens, and more! Register by December 10th. GreenThumb The 2022-2023 Winter Program Guide for December, January, and February is here! Find out about GreenThumb workshops, webinars, and special events, like the 39th Annual GreenThumb GrowTogether Conference, happening on their events page. GreenThumb T-Shirt Design Contest GreenThumb is accepting submissions for their 2023 GrowTogether T-Shirt Design Contest. The winning artwork will appear on the 2023 GrowTogether t-shirts, worn by hundreds of gardeners all over the city. Deadline is Dec. 20th. National Wildlife Federation The National Wildlife Federation and Bard College’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability launched #Teach10Hours4Climate in 2022 to increase the amount of time that K-12 students spend learning about climate change and gain the knowledge and skills they need to adapt to a rapidly changing world. Use this downloadable guide, to help you and your students meet 10 hours of climate and justice education in one school year. NYC Parks and the Urban Park Rangers The Urban Park Rangers host fun and family-friendly events at parks across the city. Schools can schedule hands-on trips through their Natural Classroom program. School Garden Sustainability Survey Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin with support from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation created a survey to evaluate school gardens. After taking the survey, you will be provided with a synthesis of the survey in the form of a scorecard, which will showcase areas that are strong and areas that can be improved - complete with resources, guidance and advice on how to do so. Teachers, administrators, and staff that are working in a school that has a garden of any kind can take the survey. GrowNYC | PO Box 2327, New York, NY 10272

Free Holiday Reading of The Gift of the Magi December 17

 

Celebrate the season at Queens County Farm Museum 

Bundle up in your coziest winter layers to enjoy the farm’s outdoor holiday reading of O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi on Saturday, December 17th from 1pm – 2pm. Attendance is free with reservations encouraged. 

This will be Queens County Farm Museum’s third annual holiday reading of the O. Henry classic. The tale will be read aloud by renowned actor Kevin R. Free, who is delighted to return to Queens County Farm Museum for this holiday tradition. Mr. Free is an accomplished voice actor, having created voices for over 400 books in his 22 years as an audiobook narrator. A passionate theater-maker, Free is also the Artistic Director of Mile Square Theatre in Hoboken, NJ. His performance has delighted the audience at Queens County Farm Museum and this year will be another treat for visitors.

The Gift of the Magi was first published in 1905 by O. Henry, and tells the story of struggling newlyweds so eager to give each other a Christmas gift that they each sell the one thing the other holds most dear. O. Henry penned the literary mainstay at Pete’s Tavern, New York City’s longest continually operated bar and restaurant. Since its debut, this story has been synonymous with holiday season.

In 1905, when O. Henry wrote The Gift of the Magi, over 35% of Queens County was being used for agriculture. During this period, the Stattel family owned the farm and it was at peak production. It was the 2nd largest farm in Queens based on size but it was the highest producing farm based on dollar value. 

“The Gift of the Magi brings a timeless magic to the holidays with its tender reminder that there is no greater gift than love. Even though it was written over a century ago, its message is as true today as it ever was,” said Jennifer Walden Weprin, Executive Director of the Queens County Farm Museum. “Kevin Free brings the tale to life with his spirited performance that mixes story time with outdoor theater in this bucolic farm setting. The experience is unlike any other in NYC!”

Queens Farm’s The Gift of the Magi event brings a festive family-friendly program to New York City’s holiday season for all ages to enjoy. Hot chocolate will also be available to complement the brisk winter air. Visitors are welcome to bring chairs and blankets to supplement the farm’s provided seating.

While visiting the farm, guests can also pick out the perfect Christmas tree, wreath and gifts at the Queens Farm Holiday Market. The holiday market features an assortment of Balsam and Fraser Fir trees, wreaths, garland, poinsettias, and more. In the Farm Store, stock up on unique locally sourced gifts like Queens Farm honey, yarn from the farm’s sheep, farm-grown herbal tea, and Queens Farm merch like tote bags, tees, and headwear. In addition, the shop offers local soaps, soy and beeswax candles, pickles, hot sauce, maple syrup, books, toys, stationery, DIY and gardening gifts, and artisan-made scarves by Matthew Yanchuk of Mayware featuring the farm’s very own wool.

The farm will be open 10am – 5pm on December 17th for guests to enjoy the grounds, feed the animals, hop on a hayride, and shop for the holidays during their visit. Visitors are also encouraged to drop off healthful, packaged, nonperishable foods to support Queens Farm’s Food Drive supporting CUNY students.

Queens County Farm Museum is located at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park, NY 11004. For more information about Queens County Farm Museum, please visit queensfarm.org.

About Queens County Farm Museum
Queens County Farm Museum showcases the 300-year history of agriculture as a way of life in New York City. It is a New York City Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Queens Farm offers free admission 354 days per year and hosts a wide variety of acclaimed education programs and public events. It welcomes over 500,000 visitors a year and serves as a vital resource connecting people to agriculture and the environment. For more information, visit queensfarm.org.

DEC to Hold Bronx Community Meeting on Progress of Statewide Air Monitoring Initiative

 

What: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will hold a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, to provide an update for Bronx residents. Study areas in the Bronx are included as one of 10 communities that are part of DEC’s 2022-23 Statewide Community Air Monitoring Initiative.

Mobile air monitoring started in July 2022 in the first four of 10 areas -- the Bronx, Buffalo/Niagara Falls/Tonawanda area, Capital Region, and Manhattan. The initiative will help DEC identify sources of air pollution and climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions in these communities.

At the meeting, DEC will provide an update on the progress of data collection and share examples of how emission sources can be detected with this technology, as well as explain how DEC will analyze the data for each of the pollutants. The results of the statewide initiative will be shared once data is validated at the end of the year-long effort. DEC will also discuss a proposal to create community advisory committees in each area to facilitate ongoing engagement throughout the study period.

Visit the DEC website for more information about the year-long community air monitoring initiative.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Where:  Virtual Meeting - Link to join meeting via WebEx: https://meetny.webex.com/wbxmjs/joinservice/sites/meetny/meeting/download/9cc8531b2bb644b5bface088b8998f58?siteurl=meetny&MTID=m164cb84fdd2b1d2514e9fc6452cb516a

Meeting Number: 1617 73 2694 Meeting Password: a4cJn5pJhT2

Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500

Wave Hill Events December 29-January 5

 

Start your new year with a new sense of tranquility in the winter gardens. Friendly reminder, we’re closed on New Year’s Day. Our grounds will reopen on Tue, Jan 3. 

Stay tuned for our winter concerts just ahead. This winter we’re offering audiences the opportunity to experience internationally acclaimed musicians in the intimate setting of Armor Hall. See the full lineup and purchase tickets: fal.cn/3ssnN 

Stop by Glyndor for a guided gallery tour of our current exhibitions. The 25th Annual International: American Society of Botanical Artists closes Dec 30! 

The Family Art Project continues to take a break Dec 31 and Jan 1. We’ll be returning to the usual schedule on Saturday, January 7. 

Public Gallery Tour  

Thu, Dec 29, 2022, 2–3PM 

Free, and on Thursdays the grounds are admission-free 

Meet at Glyndor Gallery Greeter Desk 

Exhibitions at Glyndor Gallery explore the dynamic relationship between nature, culture and site. When exhibitions are open, public gallery tours of the exhibitions are led by Gallery Greeters on Thursdays and Saturdays. Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view in Glyndor Gallery, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in a unique environment. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes. 

 

Today’s tour features current exhibitions. 

 

Registration not required. 

 

Questions? Please email us at information@wavehill.org or call the telephone number and extension above. 

 

Glyndor Gallery is wheelchair-accessible. There is an accessible, ground-level entrance at the front of the building with an elevator that provides access to the gallery level. The Sunroom Project Space can be accessed with an ADA-compliant ramp. The restroom on the gallery level is all-gender and ADA-compliant. 

 

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HOURS: 10AM–4:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday.

 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.

NEW YORK VEGAN SOCIETY APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN

 

MHG, in partnership with the City of New York, is creating a new brand dedicated to vegan culture and plant-based products. The brand is a festival/expo type of event. We’re focusing on food vendors and concepts that create innovative dishes in the space but also showcase various package goods, merchandise, and ancillary products. In addition, we’re looking to add a strong cultural vibe with cookbooks, discussion panels, wine selections/pairing, and even fashion and art.

Sneak Peek to New York Vegan Society

The Spring/Summer Expo, including over 100+ cooks, chefs, innovators, and makers who will permanently alter the American palate, will take place in Industry City, Brooklyn on March 4, 2023. The event will feature live music, a discussion panel, the largest presentation of the "Vegan Cookbook" outside of the internet environment, cooking demonstrations, an activity zone, and more.

MHG is creating a new brand that will emphasize veganism and products made from plants. We're focusing on local food producers and concepts, as well as showcasing a variety of packaging products, accessories, and other items!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE