Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens

This partnership between the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens was coordinated and designed by Anna Zeide (Ph.D. student in the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology) as part of a unique new course Community Engagement through Film.

COMMUNITY PARTNER:
Although Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens has a multi-faceted mission that includes their urban farm and farm-shares, community gardens, natural areas, and educational programs, the focus of this particular outreach effort is their Youth Grow Local initiative. The Youth Grow Local programs consist of (1) a Kids’ Garden that serves over 1,000 children from Madison’s Northside community and neighborhood centers each year, (2) the East High Community Farm that provides training for high schoolers in sustainable food production and that donates its produce to the Goodman Community Center Food Pantry, and (3) the Growing School Gardens network, which seeks to link the educational garden initiatives throughout Madison and to serve as a resource and clearinghouse.

Community GroundWorks aims to grow these Youth Grow Local programs through donations of materials and resources and through community connections.  They would like to build an Outdoor Kitchen in the Kids' Garden that would serve as a model for garden-based nutrition and culinary education. The East High Farm's ability to employ additional teens also relies on appropriate funding. Finally, all of these programs require the building of new partnerships and strengthening of existing ones, as with East High, Goodman Community Center, the Madison Metropolitan School District, and other governmental and nonprofit groups that work on food and justice in Madison. These partnerships require publicity and coordination among scattered groups.

PARTNERING FILM:
What's On Your Plate? (Saturday, November 7, 10:00 am, MMoCA)

We're linking Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens with the film What’s On Your Plate? The film follows two multiracial eleven year old girls, Sadie and Safiyah, as they explore the foodshed around New York City, learn about food distribution and issues of health, visit local farms, investigate the origins of their school cafeteria food, and eat lots of delicious food! This film links perfectly with Community GroundWorks's Youth Grow Local programs, as the latter are examples of the ways the issues the film raises are being addressed in our own backyards. The Madison youth gardening programs also take the film's title question one step further, asking not only "What’s on your plate?" but also "how do we grow what ends up on your plate?"

FILM-RELATED EVENTS:

Kid Gardeners

Join Madison kid gardeners as they meet star of What’s on Your Plate? Sadie Rain Hope-Gund, and stay to learn more about Community Groundworks at Troy Gardens. Following the 10 am screening of What's on Your Plate?, Saturday, November 7, at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State Street, Madison, WI.

What's On Chef Tory's Plate?

L'Etoile Chef Tory Miller takes What’s On Your Plate? audience members to the Capitol Square for the final outdoor Dane Country Farmer's Market of the season followed by a cooking demo, interactive ingredient display and some tasty local treats! Following the 10 am screening of What's on Your Plate?, Saturday, November 7, at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State Street, Madison, WI.

Winterize the Garden Work Party

We're looking for volunteers to come help spread hay on the garden beds at the Troy Kids' Garden; sign-up sheet will be available at the What's On Your Plate? screening. More details will also be posted at www.twitter.com/TalesFromTroy. Party to be held at the 500 block of Troy Drive at a date TBD.

WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO:
We are asking for donations of funds or specific items to help build the Outdoor Kids' Kitchen. People can find our "gift registry" or donate online through this website: www.notlong.com/troykitchen. Local businesses can learn more here: http://sites.google.com/site/troykidskitchen/home/local-business-support. Specifically, we're looking for credit from local groceries for food items that we can't grow in the garden; Stainless steel three-basin sink with drain boards; Plumbing service to help lay pipe for potable water; Mosaic glass; Cedar lumber; Steel roofing; Labor to help erect pedal-powered grain mill; Grain mill designed to connect to pedal power; Hand crank blenders; Tile flooring; A grapevine arbor and trellis; and two rain barrels. We're also looking for volunteers to help winterize our Troy Kids' Garden by putting hay on the garden beds at a post-film "work party."

SOCIAL MEDIA @ WORK:
We're tweeting about this partnership at www.twitter.com/TalesFromTroy. Information about the Outdoor Kitchen project is available online at www.notlong.com/troykitchen.

CONTACTS:
For Kid Gardeners, Anna Zeide, zeide@wisc.edu, 870-723-6687.
For What's On Chef Tory's Plate?, Molly Schwebach, mayoung3@wisc.edu, 608-265-6712.
For Winterize the Garden Work Party, Nathan Larson, education@troygardens.org, 608-240-0409.