April 9, 2012

Friendship Gardens teachers are busy in the gardens not only planting, but teaching others to plant. Next in the series: Ryan has a free companion planting class where you will learn how to arrange plants for mutually beneficial relationships that ward off bugs, deliver nutrients, and attract pollinators. The date is Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 1 p.m. in the Demonstration Garden at Friendship Trays, 2401 Distribution St. in South End. Click here to learn more.

March 31, 2012

Thom Duncan took spade in hand Friday afternoon and planted the new sign at the entrance to the Demonstration Garden. The sign was created by photographic artist Diane Hughes and artist Cesar Vinalay of "Art in Metal." The sign is one of a group of artworks commissioned by Slow Food Charlotte to mark many of the Friendship Gardens throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

Myers Park Baptist joins Gardens

March 26, 2012

The Charlotte Observer published the article and pictures above on its local news front today.

Way to go, Henry!

March 6, 2012

Friendship Gardens Program Director Henry Owen was among 10 finalists who made a pitch for support in Tuesday night's Seed20Unleashed. Click the video to watch his dress rehearsal on Tuesday afternoon before students at the Community Culinary School of Charlotte. In the competition Tuesday night, Owen's presentation won second place from the prize judges and first place from the audience, for a total purse of $10,000 that will support the work of Friendship Gardens. The official announcement is here. The program is here. A video wrap-up of the Seed20 project, part of the Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee Carolinas Stories Series is below.

Spring prep work

Feb. 11, 2012

     A pickup-load of good dirt is the starting point for spring prep work in the raised beds at Matthews Presbyterian Church on Saturday morning.

     If there's a Friendship Garden in your area (see list here) and you'd like to be getting your fingers in the dirt, e-mail Henry Owen and he will put you in touch with the volunteers who tend that garden.

8th Street garden puts down roots

Click picture for more on the latest Friendship Garden.

Home Depot donates seeds

Jan. 27, 2012

Many thanks to Sylvester Johnson and Home Depot Store #3639 at 9501 Albemarle Rd. for leading Team Home Depot in donating over 800 packets of vegetable seeds and seed starting trays to Friendship Gardens. These supplies will be used in the Friendship Gardens network to teach gardening and grow food that is donated to Friendship Trays.

Announcing
the Volunteer Coffee

Monthly on the 4th Tuesday

8:30-9:30 a.m.

at Friendship Trays

Join us for the next coffee on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Plug your skills into this mission. Click above for more.

Fresh veggies

are a hit

Dec. 30, 2011

Happy New Year to everyone!

The collard greens and black-eyed peas (some from the prison garden) went out in trays to Friendship Trays recipients today.

I was lucky to be able to deliver two routes and WOW: People expressed such gratitude for having a traditional New Year's meal, especially one that had fresh produce. 

Pamela, one of the recipients, told me that collards are her favorite and she had noticed that the vegetables tasted much fresher than the canned veggies she eats when she is able to prepare a quick meal for herself. 

What an amazing validation of our mission with Friendship Gardens.

THANK YOU and BLESS YOU for all you do!

Kathy Metzo, Garden Coordinator

Getting ready

Posted Dec. 11, 2011

"The folks at Trinity Presbyterian are planting their first Friendship Garden this spring and they are already started on the bed prep," writes Garden Coordinator Henry Owen.

Trinity's garden plots are now covered in mulch thanks to John Arant, Jim Hambacher and Gary Sugg.  Trinity had some rich mulch on the property and with Jim's trailer, they were able to get it all out in 2 hours.

One plot was left incomplete to allow for soccer play until their season ends in late January. 

Thanks John, Jim and Gary!!