October 2009
Farm to School Announces School Garden Grant Awards: Eleven DJUSD schools received a matching grant of $500 from Davis Farm to School Connection. The PTAs at each school agreed to match the funds, providing $1,000 in total to the gardening programs at Marguerite Montgomery Elementary, Birch Lane Elementary, Fairfield Elementary, North Davis Elementary, Fred Korematsu Elementary, Patwin Elementary, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Willett Elementary, Holmes Junior High, Emerson Junior High and King High.
Art and Ag's Art Farm Event: Over fifty local artists participated in the October 2nd Art Farm event, a unique exhibition of pieces based on Yolo County landscapes. In exchange for a donation of $150, participants were able to take home one of the original pieces. Art and Ag, a joint project of the Davis Farmers Market Foundation, the Yolo Land Trust and Yolo Arts, works to connect farmers and artists in the region.
Garden/RISE Coordinator Meeting: Thirty school site garden and RISE coordinators from throughout the district gathered at Marguerite Montgomery Elementary on October 1st, hosted by the Davis Farm to School Connection. The meeting included tips on scarecrow building from Avenue of the Scarecrows coordinator Carrie Juchau, a tour of Montgomery's garden and recycling programs and a chance for coordinators to share challenges and successes.The afternoon finished with a delicious, seasonal meal catered by Student Nutrition Services.
The Last Crop Film Screening: Davis Farm to School Connection partnered with Slow Food Yolo to present the film The Last Crop on October 9th. Held at the Davis Senior High School Performing Arts Building, the screening's proceeds benefit Davis Farm to School Connection (in particular the second grade farm visits) and Davis Senior High School's Future Farmers of America. The twenty-three minute work-in-progress film, featuring Jeff and Annie Main of Good Humus Produce, highlighted the difficulties of sustaining a small farm and passing it on to the next generation.
The Avenue of Scarecrows: This annual fundraiser for Davis school gardens was held on October 31st at the Davis Farmers Market, in conjunction with the Fall Festival. Students, teachers and parent volunteers worked together to design and create themed scarecrows that were displayed for auction. The money raised from the scarecrows, a total of $1,462, goes directly back to the school garden programs. Several scarecrows were sponsored by local businesses or individuals: Davis Food Coop, Davis Ace Hardware, Dr. Tomaich Dentistry, The Enterprise, Rhonda Adams, and Fulcrum Management Group.
