Celebrate “culture” in agriculture & share skills like growing, cooking, canning

Thewhatleys's Blog (30)

Grow And Share Ramping up for 2011

So excited about planting in January!! It will be here before I know it. Some really high quality soil will be here soon.

Couple of things for those of you interested in helping:

- MLK Day Of Service we're building a school garden in Franklinton NC and could use some help (and lumber!)

- We have Gardener's Calendars for 2011 that tell you what can be planted in each month. Donate and we'll send you one. :-)

Look forward to…

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Added by thewhatleys on December 28, 2010 at 7:06pm — No Comments

Tomatoes & Spinach & Carrots, Oh My!

One of the ways that my Mom fueled our gardening interest was to let us choose a unique type of seed each year. We chose and grew unusual vegetables, cotton, gourds, and even flowers.

We hope to use this lesson from my Mom and introduce unusual seed during the Grow And Share children’s educational classes at the greenhouse…. and when we present at schools or scout troop meetings.

These are seeds we request…

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Added by thewhatleys on November 29, 2010 at 4:03pm — No Comments

Supplies Needed

We are fundraising now to expand our educational offerings for schools and parents, and prepare for the Spring plantings, when we give away garden plants to any US resident who signs a Pledge To Share from their garden.

We have a (chicken) Plate Sale this upcoming weekend, and then a music festival Labor Day Weekend (Sunday). For BOTH of these fundraisers, we are seeking help from local businesses and organizations.

We need the following supplies ASAP (we hope you will…

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Added by thewhatleys on August 24, 2010 at 3:53pm — No Comments

Question on Frost for you expert farmers and gardeners

Hello all:

We were just checking out the weather for NC. I'm no expert, so not sure, but it looks like it'll be warm through April 10th and beyond.

Since April 10th is the NC last frost date predicted for this year, does this mean we will not have another frost?

I'd like to know if that is a good enough predicter before we put plants in the ground. Is it safe to start planting seedlings?

Thank you,

Kay

Added by thewhatleys on April 4, 2010 at 6:39pm — 2 Comments

Jicama - any advice out there?

Hi all:

We love eating fresh jicama, and ordered some seeds online. For about $4 we got 10 seeds, so it was a major splurge and I want them to grow and produce.

Now, I was surprised when the seeds arrived that they were marked "poisonous, use gloves". I planted them carefully and now am doing research.

What I've found so far explains that the leaves, seed pods, and seeds contain a natural insecticide that is good for the plant but poisonous to people -- and I'm… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on March 13, 2010 at 6:36pm — No Comments

Raleigh NC and surrounding -- anyone need melon or eggplant seeds??

Hi:

We have an abundance of donated cantaloupe, watermelon, and eggplant seeds. Could anyone use them? We have planted thousands of plants and know at this point we will not need them all. We'll save some for next year, but I'd like to see more of them getting out into gardens this year.

If you could use some of these seeds, let me know. I think the eggplant are mostly black beauty, the watermelon are cannonball, congo, Charleston Gray, Jubilee, and Dixie Queen, and the… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on March 7, 2010 at 9:30pm — 4 Comments

Baseball Radio Network Aims to Grow More Than Ratings!

Grow and Share is a unique Zebulon based non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthy fruits and vegetables to U.S. residents through food education and widespread gardening. The organization’s website www.growandshare.org provides assistance to homeowners willing to start or expand their own gardens while pledging to share produce…

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Added by thewhatleys on March 1, 2010 at 5:00pm — No Comments

Wanted: Seeds for veggies, melons, beans, etc. for Non-profit

Local non-profit GROW AND SHARE is seeking seed. If you have any packets you won't be using, or even parts of leftover packets, we would love to have them. Please visit http://www.growandshare.org for address/phone to donate by mailing them or to arrange pickup for larger amounts of seed.

We focus on shared and community gardening to fight hunger. Donate your un-needed seed, we will grow your seeds into plants, and in April we… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on January 13, 2010 at 9:00pm — No Comments

Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year 2010! We have a whole new year ahead!

At Grow And Share, we have plans that will get many plants into US communities, help many gardeners across the US grow food, and start many new gardens feeding US residents.

More information on becoming a Grow And Share gardener may be found on our website: http://www.growandshare.org/?p=741. If you are interested in fighting hunger through Grow And Share's… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on January 3, 2010 at 4:01pm — No Comments

Greenhouse Status

We will be pulling the greenhouse poles out of the ground tomorrow and then moving them to the new site to put back in. Hard work but worth it!

We can still use volunteers to assist with moving the greenhouse (Zebulon in Wake County) and re-assembly (Zebulon/Pilot in Franklin County).

Moving will continue this Wednesday and Saturday, and then re-assembly will begin! We will be working pretty much every day from this Saturday through early January to get the greenhouse… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on December 15, 2009 at 11:38pm — No Comments

Greenhouse 2 and request for your help

Greenhouse 2 is well on its way to relocation here at Grow And Share in Zebulon, NC USA.

This past weekend, volunteers Riley E., Mitch A., Craig A., AJ B., and Frank and Kay Whatley took down all of the electrical systems. Heater, fans, and other components have been taken down and readied for the move.

This upcoming Saturday, December 12th, a group of volunteers and the local Crop Mob will be taking down the greenhouse structure and plastic and loading it into trucks. We… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on December 8, 2009 at 2:35pm — 2 Comments

Eastern Wake News Article about Grow And Share Non-Profit Activities

Thank you, Eastern Wake News & Denise Sherman, for today’s write-up of Grow And Share - http://www.easternwakenews.com/news/story/5464.html . It includes information on Grow And Share’s history, its upcoming activities, and recent school gardens construction and scout meeting.

Reporter Sherman mentioned that she had become aware of Grow And Share because of the… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on November 25, 2009 at 11:20am — No Comments

Recycling black plastic barrels - compost tumblers, rain barrels, etc.

Grow and Share has a supply of large plastic barrels we are recycling... These are a great size for rain barrels, just a little smaller than 55 gallon drums. If you don't need a rain barrel, they can be cut into halves and used as large planters. Or made into compost tumblers.

We are asking for a donation to help cover barrel/accessories/paint costs and to raise funds for next year's Grow And Share projects. All money raised will go directly to Grow And Share. Whatever amount you… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on November 18, 2009 at 11:30pm — No Comments

End-of-Year Fund Drive and "Garden In A Box" Packs

At this time of the year, we know you are likely thinking about charitable donations as well as holiday shopping. We at Grow And Share would like to help you on both fronts. We'd like you to give us your tax deductible donation, and in return we'll provide you with a "thank you" -- a garden Starter Pack or Deluxe Pack which you can use for yourself or give as a holiday gift.

Help us reach our goals with our end-of-year fund drive. Like all non-profits, monetary donations are… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on November 10, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

School Gardens Will Grow Food to Eat, To Learn, And To Share

November 9, 2009 – Zebulon, NC USA

Elementary school teachers are going green in Franklin County, NC with installation of school gardens. Teachers are adding gardening to their lesson plans for science, nutrition, and other subjects. Produce grown in these gardens will feed the students, the teachers, and other local residents.

Working with Franklin County school teachers and Dale Byrns, Creative Education Office, several gardens are being installed. In Spring 2010, over… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on November 9, 2009 at 12:14pm — 1 Comment

Franklin County School Gardens: First Installation scheduled!

Grow And Share is working with several Franklin County schools, providing supplies and assistance to install school gardens. The students and teachers will then tend the gardens in the Spring, eat their harvest, and share a portion of their harvest too.

We're looking forward to working with teachers and parents this coming Wednesday to install the first gardens... a series of 4 raised gardens for an elementary school.

Hopefully, following Wednesday's day-of-work we will… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on October 31, 2009 at 11:13pm — 1 Comment

Expansion (new greenhouse area)

Yesterday was a good, busy day preparing to put in the new greenhouse. We got some help clearing out some trees. More information and photos are online at http://www.growandshare.org/?p=626.

We're looking forward to expanding our greenhouse space. In April, we'll be giving away approximately 10,000 plants. Garden plants are free to US residents who sign a pledge to share their harvest. Giveaways will take place in Wake… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on October 20, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

School Garden Budget

We're working with several schools in Franklin County NC, and the Grow And Share program has been well received! The teachers will be using plants and seeds in their lessons, teaching how things grow, where food comes from, and more. Students will eat from the garden and share their harvest in their communities.

One of the school gardens is going to be created early in 2010. We'll be tilling up an area about 15 x 20 -- give or take a little. The children will grow food, have an end… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on October 15, 2009 at 9:28am — 1 Comment

Local Non-Profit Awarded Grant by Annie's HomeGrown

Zebulon, NC, September 18, 2009 - Grow And Share, a non-profit fighting hunger at the local level, recently received a grant from Annie's Homegrown of Napa, California. This "Grants for Gardens" award provides some funding for Grow And Share's gardening programs in Spring 2010.

The grant will be used to purchase garden seed and growing supplies. During the Spring, a planting event will be held during which children will learn about growing their own food and assist with seed… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on September 18, 2009 at 9:25pm — 1 Comment

Vollmer Farm educating families at the Grow And Share Music Festival (Sunday, Sept 6th)

During the festival next weekend, we will have some farm education stations. These are vendors folks can stop in and talk with about farming and gardening, and where they can learn a bit about the US food supply. Thanks to Yummy Designs and the USDA, we also have some coloring books about farmers markets and growing food, and these will be given away free at one of these stations.

While finalizing details, we were invited to visit one of the farms: Vollmer Farms in Bunn NC. Vollmer… Continue

Added by thewhatleys on August 31, 2009 at 2:56pm — No Comments