Grapevine Newsletter of Project Grow - Spring 2000

8/4/2019 Grapevine Newsletter of Project Grow - Spring 2000

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South Bay Feature .................................1, 3

PG Contact Information ............................2

Greetings!..................................................4

Our New Logo ..........................................5

San Diego Resources ................................5

Entreprenurial Gardens:

Agencies:Center for

Community SolutionsOff-Site GardenLiz Porras858-272-5777 (Ext.34)--message619-697-7477 (Liz)

Community Resource

CenterGarden-to-TableNutrition EducationTraci Chester760-942-5485

Rural HumanServices Off-Site Garden/Moms& Kids Cook andLearnClaudia Frances707-465-3013

Kings CommunityAction

OrganizationMoms & Kids Cookand LearnJuanita Galaviz559-582-4386

Ocean ParkCommunity CenterHorticultural TherapyPat Butler310-264-6645

Plumas Rural SevicesOff-Site GardenTina Wood

530-283-5675

San Leandro Shelter

for Women andChildrenHorticultural TherapyKatharine Noel510-297-6906 (2#)

South Bay

Community ServicesJob Training

Joan Pelkey619-420-5094

Interval HouseGarden-to-TableNutrition EducationChristine Delabre andLydia Hychong562-594-9492

The OccidentalCollege CommunityFood SecurityProject (TAT-ECConsultants):

Susan StuartProgram [email protected](831) 466-0755-phone/fax

Michelle MascarenhasDirector, CFS [email protected](323) 259-2633-phone(323) 259-2734 -fax

Robert GottliebCo-Director of [email protected](323) 259-2712-phone

Kate Stafford

Horticultural TherapyConsultant(831) [email protected]

Marilyn PrehmEvaluation Consultant(916) 973-9567

Department ofHealth Services-DomesticViolence Section :

Kathony JerauldProgram Consultant(916) 653-4691- phone(916) 653-2125 - fax

Amy Blandford

Contract Manager(916) 654-9945-phone(916) 653-8655 - fax

Zipora WeinbaumResearch Specialist(916) 657-3921-phone

Blue Shield:

Marianne Balin Public Affairs Specialist

(415) 229-5861-phone(415) 229-5070- fax

On the Web:www.uepi.oxy.eduPlease send comments or sug-

gestions to [email protected]


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(Continued from page 1)

hands you get to see a jobget done. You see whatyou achieved. I was alittle worried, but Mariawas already doing it, and I

look up to Maria so it waseasier for me.

Maria, you went toSouthwestern College forthe nine-weekGroundskeeping course.What was it like to go tocollege?Maria: I always wantedto go to college. I wasreally excited when I

found out the course wewere taking was going togive us college credit.But, I was nervous too.We were worried that wewouldnt be able to do thethings they wanted us to.We had a really goodteacher and he helped usfeel better. We found outthat we could do the work

as well or better than themen in the class could do.

What do you tell womenyou talk to about theproject when they saylandscaping is menswork?Maria: I learned we arewomen and we can useour minds too. You donthave to do everything. If

weve got a job that isphysically too heavy forus we can get help.Valerie: Its a big boostto your self-esteem whenwomen step up to do whatpeople think is a mansjob and do it well. It helps

women see what they cando in this world.

What is the mostsatisfying part oflandscapingwork?

Valerie: There isreal satisfaction inmakingsomething lookbetter. Whenyoure workingyou can stop andsee what youvedone. Workingwith your handscalms your mind. Weve

already seen other peopleon the block come out andstart to clean up theiryards to get them to lookas good as ours.Maria: Working togetherand with other women.You get to talk and sharethoughts. You learn howto communicate betterwith other people.

What was the biggestexperience for you sinceyou started this project?Maria: My first dayworking full-time for theagency and ProjectGROW. I was sonervous. I didnt knowwhat to do. Everybodyknew me as a client andnow I was a staff member.

But after a couple of days,I started to relax and feellike I was part of a team.Ive come a long waysince I came to thisagency. My dream is tohave a successful familybusiness and buy a big

house, big enough for mywhole family tolive in.Valerie: Mywhole first weekwas amazing. I

was moved intoSBCS housing, Igot a job and Igot my first realpaycheck in tenyears. It openeda whole newworld to me.

What would yousay to funders

about what impact their

money achieves throughProject GROW?Maria: Project GROWgives women a chance tolearn they can changetheir lives. It teaches themthat there is somethingstrong inside of them andthey can go out and besomeone. They can makea success.

Valerie: I like to saythank you for givingwomen a chance to learnthat they can do things. Ithelps us in every waybecause it gives us hopeand there always has to behope.Maria: Yes, you alwaysneed hope to make it inthis world.Maria and Valerie: Andalso being in the open andworking with plants yourmind gets cleansed everyday.

Photos and Article Submitted

by Joan Pelkey,

SBCS Coordinator

I got my

first real

paycheck inten years.

It opened a

whole new

world for

You learn

how to

communicat

e betterwith other

Working

with

your

hands

calms

your

Attention to Detail is

Part of the Job


4/13

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Nine Unique Recipes

Its hard to believethat we are alreadyentering the second year ofProject GROW. Theplanning and start-up ofthe first year produced abounty of activity. Asphaltand suburban lawns wereripped out and replacedwith fruit and vegetable

gardens, horticulturaltherapy activities werepiloted as a way to helpchildren work through thetrauma of abuse, women inshelters attended cookingclasses which integratedseasonal produce intosimple meals, partnershipswere formed with localgardeners and farmers, and

women began to receivetraining in landscapingwhile a landscapemicroenterprise waslaunched (see the leadarticle focusing on SouthBay Community Services).

And in the midst of it all,Project GROW staff (withthe help of consultants,

volunteers andparticipants) found thetime to develop agencyasset maps, photographactivities, create evaluationtools, participate in anannual meeting, present at

the MCH domesticviolence conference, writeprogram reports, andparticipate in learningcircle teleconferences.

In order to capture theexperience of ProjectGROW and learn from itssuccesses and lessons, twoof the major emphases ofthe second growing year

will be learning from andadapting activities anddocumenting the barriers,opportunities, andsuccesses of ProjectGROW. Marilyn Prehm, anutritionist who hasworked with the evaluationof garden projectsnationally andinternationally, joined the

collaborative DHS-OxyEvaluation Team inDecember to help with thisprocess.

In February, Marilyn ledthe first of a series oflearning appraisalteleconferences with all ofthe nine GROW projects.Besides providing a format

for weed-pulling ortroubleshooting and theexchange of ideas, thelearning circle calls were asnapshot of what it takes toget a new and experimentalgrass-roots project off the

ground. They are part of alarger formativeapproach to evaluationwhich acknowledges thatprograms such as ProjectGROW are alwaysadapting to localconditions and needs.

Additional means ofcapturing data about thegrowing pains and benefits

of the nine pilot projects--survey tools, on-siteinterviews with staff andparticipants,photodocumentation, andgarden journals--will becombined with the learningcircles and otherinteresting techniques tocreate a full picture of theProject GROW story in the

coming year. The finalresult of this process willbe a document that can beutilized by other domesticviolence programsinterested in setting upsimilar types of GROWprojects in their agencies--of course, with their ownunique flavor.

Susan Stuart, M.P.H.Program Manager,Project GROW


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WIC ProgramAmerican Red Cross

(619) 583-4853

San Diego County Public Health

Department

(619) 692-8500

SHARE

(800) 773-SHARE

EFNEPExpanded Food and Nutrition

Education Program619-694-2850

UC Cooperative Extension

619-694-2845

California Native Plant Society, San Diego

Chapter

(619) 685-7321

Sierra Club San Diego Chapter

(619) 299-1744

Water Conservation

Garden(619) 660-0614

[email protected]

Quail Botanical Gardens

(760) 436-3036

Steep Hard SeedsSteep Hard SeedsWhile warm water is

good for soaking seeds,many hard seeds benefit

from being soaked instrong tea overnight aswell. The tannic acid in

the tea works to softenthe outer covering of theseeds.

From Organic Gardenings "300Expert Tips and

Techniques"

Contact Michelle Mascarenhas if youwould like a copy of the logo on disk.

Getting Ready to Plant?Getting Ready to Plant?One of the best places to start seeds is

on top of the refrigerator, wherethere's a steady supply of bottom heat.

A different region of the state will be featured in each newsletter.


6/13

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One of WOFEs creations.

Like prairie plants, manygood projects have deep roots.They are diverse, flexible, and

multi-faceted in their nature.They can withstand a variety ofdifficulties and become strongerthrough them. They arebeautiful and nurturing. Theygive back to their communities,just as their communitiesenergize them and appreciatetheir caring efforts.

The Womens OrganicFlower Enterprise (W.O.F.

E.), a part of the HomelessGarden Project (HGP) inSanta Cruz, CA., is just suchan endeavor, and has a storythat Project GROW cansavor.

The HGP initially began on avacant city-owned lot in SantaCruz in the spring of 1990. Ithas since provided jobs and jobskills; respite and sanctuary; and

many community connectionsincluding counseling, housing,and medical assistance. Today itis composed of two garden sitesas well as an office and retailstore.

In the early years of the Project,most of the homeless workerswere men. In time, more womencame to the HGP. One youngmother, Tomlyn, wasparticularly drawn to growingflowers and became instrumentalin creating theW.O.F.E. Under thehorticultural direction of JaneFreedman, she learned how togrow varieties of flowersespecially suitable for drying

and was soon creating wonderfuldried flower wreaths. Alongwith HGP staff and many

community supporters, Tomlyndeveloped a new HGP site(rescued from being a trash-strewn lot). The staff thensought out a grant from the S.F.Womens Foundation and starteda business that could offerbeautiful products year-round.

The wreaths were sold atfarmers markets, health food

stores, craft fairs, coffee houses,and eventually through the 7thGeneration catalog. Afterseveral years, Tomlyngraduated from the

project and went further Northwith her family, gaining employ-ment in an area she loved.

In 1995 the HGP hiredanother highly talented floraldesigner, Dena Watson. Denashared her skills with manywomen, encouraging them to seethe many talents that are alwayswaiting within to be revealed.

One of the great gifts to theproject is a donation of high-traffic retail space during the

holiday seasons to W.O.F.E. Theprograms success at these sitesis a reminder to all starting such

an enterprise that a fineproduct, great location, and

deep community support makeall the difference!

Project GROW can learn muchfrom the Womens OrganicFlower Enterprise. It points

daily to the courage of peoplefacing difficulties and the waythat life can be fully embracedwhen hope, compassion, na-

ture, beauty, meaningful work,real friendship, and time arerecognized as our wisest teach-ers and healers.

Project GROW groups are in-vited by W.O.F.E. to tour itssite and/or participate in its op-

erations. Call (831) 436-3609for an appointment.

Story and Photo By

Kate StaffordArtist, Horticultural Therapy &

Garden Design Consultant forProject GROW.

Some of WOFEs beautiful flowers.

Involving the community

at a WOFE fundraiser


7/13

7

Recently, market gardens

have gained attention as a way

to enhance community eco-

nomic development, increasecommunity food security, and

employ local residents in

meaningful jobs. These

gardens are complex yet

promising vehicles for

providing job training, life

skills, educational

opportunities, improving the

quality of life and forming

creative collaborations in localcommunities.

Researchers from the

University of California, Davis

interviewed 27 of these

entrepreneurial gardens,

including the Womens

Organic Flower Enterprise.

They gathered information on

how these entrepreneurialgardens operate and the

conditions under which they

prosper.

Some of their

recommendations include:

Build and maintain good

connections to maintain

community support.**

Develop stability in thegarden before adding an

entrepreneurial component.

Include some high-value

items like flowers or herbs to

improve income generation.

Explore selling services as

well, or instead of, goods.

South Bay Community

Services landscapingprogram is an example of a

service that could be turned

into an enterprise.

Continue to focus on long-

term sustainability of the

project.

Their publication includes con-

tact information for entrepre-

neurial and also summarizessome of the resources avail-

able. For information on or-

dering it (Publication 21587),

call 1-800-994-8849 or email

[email protected].

Recycle Your Citrus Peels!Recycle Your Citrus Peels!You can use the skins of oranges and grapefruits youveeaten by making them into pots for germinating seeds.

Cut the fruit in half and after youve eatenor juiced it, scoop out any of the leftover

pulp and poke holes in the bottom. Fill the

half with soil and plant your seeds. Oncethey are ready to go into the ground, plantthe entire half. The citrus peel will decay

slowly and help to fertilize the soil.(From Organic Gardenings 300 Expert Tips and Techniques)

**A list of resources for entrepreneurial gardeners is on the next page.**A list of resources for entrepreneurial gardeners is on the next page.


8/13

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Perrenial Flowers: KeepPerrenial Flowers: Keep

CuttingCuttingWhen they are cut morefrequently, perennialstend to flower moreoften. By cutting theflowers, you interrupt

the reproductive cycleof the plants, leadingthem to send out

more blossoms.

Welfare-to-Work Grants

Information on the program is on the web:wtw.doleta.govJim Curtis (Employment Development Department)(916) 654-8275

USDA SARE GrantsSustainable Agriculture Research and EducationProgram(202) 720-5203www.sare.org

UC-SAREP (Including Grants)

Gail Feenstra(530) [email protected]

Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE)Confidential business counseling and mentoring areprovided free of charge. Email counseling is alsoavailable.(800) 634-0245 for a chapter near youhttp://www.score.org

Small Business Development Centers(800) 8-ASK-SBA

Other possible options:Business schools at local colleges or universities

Members of local companies that produce similarproductsLocal business incubators: generally work with for-profit small businesses, buy non-profits receiveassistance as well.

Keep those Bouquets Fresh!Keep those Bouquets Fresh!Remove leaves from stems and add a

tablespoon each of sugar and vinegarto 3 cups of water in a vase. The

sugar will provide food for the

flowers and the vinegar will inhibit thegrowth of bacteria.

(From Organic Gardening, March/April, 2000)Some examples of perennial flowers:

black-eyed Susan, purple cornflower(echinacea), garden flox, peony, yarrow,

A WOFE bouquet. Photo by K. Stafford.


9/13

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Notes from Project GROW,

Rural Human ServicesHarrington House

Crescent City, CA

Del Norte County receives over120 inches of rain annually andtucked close to the shore, isblanketed by fog when theinland valley temperatures startto climb. RHSs HarringtonHouse, Del Norte Countys

resource center for batteredwomen and their children,has a 26-bed facility onlyone-half mile from theocean, making gardeningquite a challenge.

The shelter facility hadvery few options for a full-blown garden, so largehalf-barrels have providedan aesthetic and

nutritionally productivealternative. Herbs andflowers compliment theentrance and provideaccess to fresh,flavorful additions to thekitchen.

A community garden locatedjust a few blocks away atCrescent Elk Middle Schoolgives the program 6 raised beds

for fresh vegetable gardeningduring our very short, cool andfoggy growing season.

Food Security StrategiesProject GROW at HarringtonHouse has been focused mainlyon food security and accessing

alternative food resources suchas local Food Banks, Christian

Food outlets, and the purchaseof a share of a Community FoodGarden. The one share hasprovided the program withtwice weekly deliveries of freshfruits and vegetables for a sixmonth period. The shelterresidents have learned the valueof good nutritional cooking andnew varieties of produce.

This spring, a new MasterGardener program began classesin Del Norte County. It has

been almost 10 years since thelast program was active. One ofthe new participants, Linette,contacted our program to gainour participation in a new foodsecurity project, Plant AnExtra Row.

Harrington House has become

one of the prime recipients forthe Plant An Extra Row project,giving us yet another valuableresource for fresh fruits andvegetables. The MasterGardeners will also be assistingwith the continuation of theProject Grow on- and off-site.

Linette said that the front-pagenewspaper coverage of our

project last summer gaveher inspiration to delveinto the Extra Rowproject that she had seenPSAs about ontelevision. This is justone more reason for allProject GROWparticipants to seek outmore media coverage ofthe great work beingdone through gardening

throughout the state!You never know if it mayinspire someone in yourcommunity to comethrough with yet anothervaluable resource for youand your program.

By Claudia FrancesProject Coordinator,RHS Harrington House

If you have any questions onstarting or participating in sucha program, call Claudia at(707) 465-3013.

Plant an Extra Row

The basic premise of theproject is to encourage

gardeners, old and new, toplant an extra row in their

home gardens to helpcombat hunger in our area.

They are given a list ofregistered groups to whomthey can donate food from

their extra row to.


10/13

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Eggplant???

Ingredients:

1 carton firm tofuA pinch of oregano1/2 cup soy sauce1 teaspoon red wine vinegar1 clove garlicA pinch each of thyme,oregano, and pepper2 carrots2 tomatoes2 celery stalks

Cut tofu into 2 or 3 flatpieces. Sprinkle with

oregano. Place on lightlyoiled baking pan and bake at350 degrees for 25-30minutes. Let cool.

Combine soy sauce, vinegar,garlic, thyme, oregano, andpepper to make a marinade.

Break tofu into small piecesand place in a flat dish.

Cover with marinade andrefrigerate for 3 hours. Cutup vegetables (or grate

carrots) and combine withtofu. Use the marinade as a

dressing.Serves 2-4

Adapted from theHealthyWest Hollywood Cookbook

Tofu is a good source ofprotein and may reducethe risk of heart disease.

Part of what makes you so thirsty after eating sweets is that sugar slows downhow fast food empties from your stomach. As a result, the fluids youdrink cant get through to your intestines where they are absorbed.The best way to quench your thirst is to drink watersugary drinks

like soda can actually slow down rehydration.(Discover, September, 1999)

"Peppers and eggplant are goodcontainer gardening choices

because of their relativelycompact size and growing

habits."(National Gardening Association's

"Little Book of Expert Tips)


11/13

1

Its hard to watch televisionor read a magazine these days

without seeing a presentation onglobal biodiversity. Usually, thefocus is on the tropics, wherevast numbers of species coexist,and where the existence of manyis threatened. Closer to home,California also has a wealth ofbiodiversity, with many morespecies of plants andanimals than most areasof similar size. The

bad news, of course, isthat many of thesespecies are alsothreatened, but thegood news is that wecan do more topreserve them, becausewe live right hereamong them.

A direct way to helppreserve Californias

diversity is to grownative plants (plantsthat were here beforeEuropean settlement).

Why Grow Natives?Why Grow Natives?Why Grow Natives?

vThe plants will be lessthreatened by extinction

vThey will be accompanied byanimals that depend on them,such as butterflies and

hummingbirds. Growingnatives helps to protect thesepollinators.

vChildren and others can learnto recognize and protect them.

vThey require less water andfertilizer, thereby conserving

natural resources and reducingrunoff to the ocean.

vThey are easy to grow!

vNative plants provide adiversity of beauty. For eyesaccustomed to roses, geraniums,and petunias, the flowers ofnative plants can be novel anddelightful. Diversity of form

and color, in gardens as inlifewhats not to like?

Following is a short list of someCalifornia native plants fairlyeasy to grow in urban and

suburban gardens. For seeds andmore information, you can visitthe websites of the TheodorePayne Foundation (http://www.theodorepayne.org/) and theCalifornia Native Plant Society(http://www.cnps.org/index.htm).

Annuals (bloom from seed thefirst year, then die, but often

reseed themselves)California poppy (Eschscholtziacalifornica). Orange flowers,easy to grow.Lupines (Lupinus bicolor,L.nanus, etc.). Blue and whiteflowers, easy.Baby blue eyes (Nemophiliamenziesii). Will grow in shade,easy.Tidy tips (Layi platyglossa).

Yellow daisy-like flowers. Willgrow in sandy soil.Clarkia species (Clarkia sp.)Large pink to lilac flowers.Easy.

Perennials (bloom second year,live several years)Monkey flower (Mimulusspecies). Orange to red flowers.Drought tolerant.Matilija poppy (Rhomneyacoulteri). Large, spreadingplant. Large white flowers.

Shrubs (all drought-tolerantonce established)California lilac (Ceanothusspecies). Blue clustered flowers,nice form.Manzanita (Arctostaphylos species). White flowers, nicefoliage.

Sages (Salvia species). Manytypes, excellent for pollinators.Wild currant and gooseberryspecies (Ribes species). Lovedby hummingbirds.

Article by Gretchen North, PhD, Professor of Biology at Occidental College


12/13

12

Project GROWOccidental College

c/o PPERC

1600 Campus Road

Los Angeles, CA 90041

April

22EARTHDAY!26-28CaliforniaHealthyCitiesandCommunitiesAnnualConference916-646-8680

May

1MayDay14MothersDay31-June1MaternalandChildHealthConference916-498-6964

June

10-11CommunityFoodSecurityWorkshopsonFoodSystemsassessmentsandCommunityEconomicDevelopment(LosAngeles)310-822-5410

September

11-13(tentative)ProjectGROWAnnualConference14CANFitConferenceinSouthernCaliforniafornutritionandfitnesstipsworkingwith10-14yearolds.510-644-1533

23-275thInternationalFamilyViolenceConference29EastSanFranciscoBayGardenTours510-527-3773


13/13

One of the best places to

start seeds is on top of the

ref rigerator, where there's asteady supply of bottom

heat.

Tidy Tips, layi platyglossa

Photo by Brother Alfred Brousseau

Pa i n t b r u sh So w iPa i n t b r u sh So w i

Wh en you u se a t r owel o r

to cover sm a l l seed s wi th

som et i m es bu r y them t

i n h i b i t i n g

g er m i n a t i o n . Tr y u si n g a

i n stead . I t g i ves you bet

o ver t h e a m o u n t o f so i l yoseed s.

Documents

Grapevine Newsletter of Project Grow - Spring 2000